A Time To Live
by the-spellbound-spirit
Summary: Constance Hardbroom is on a mission to become the next deputy headmistress of Cackle's Academy. In between supporting other staff and disciplining the more difficult students, will her efforts to earn her promotion go unnoticed by Amelia?
1. You Must Be Miss Greene

_**A/N: So this is the new edition to the A Time series. I loved writing the last one so much that I just had to write a sequel. To clear things up - this is set in 1993 so just over twelve years since the end of A Time to Try (which ended in January 1981). I'm not Jill Murphy, all characters that belong in The Worst Witch series are hers. Any OCs are mine. I think that's everything so... I hope you enjoy the first chapter of A Time To Live!**_

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It was the start of the summer term at Cackle's Academy for Witches. Patricia Gimlet, the boisterous jewellery design teacher and Davina Bat, the eccentric chanting mistress were flying over the school gates, blasted by the late February winds. The trees billowed in the violent blasts as the two came to the ground with a gentle hover and, stowing their brooms in the broom shed, they made their way into the school.

Watching them from the staff room window were Cackle's Academy's main residents; the kindly headmistress Amelia Cackle and the blood curdling potions mistress Constance Hardbroom. Amelia was busying herself brewing teas and coffees for the frozen members of staff while Constance was preparing her timetables for the new term.

"There appears to be a gap in the third year timetable, Headmistress," Constance stated as she stared at the large space between lessons, "Surely you can't be giving them two free lessons in a row?"

Amelia shook her head as she brewed Patricia's coffee, "No it's fine for the moment, Constance. We shall discuss it once the others have arrived."

With a gust of bitter wind the staff room door opened. A shivering Patricia and Davina, whose teeth were chattering, stood in the doorway. They shook the Arctic cold air from them as they warmed themselves in front of the fire, sipping their tea and coffee. Finally once they had warmed through Amelia invited them to sit down. They took their usual seats, Constance sitting at the top of the table as usual, beside the bookshelf and Patricia and Davina sitting opposite Amelia who was sat beneath the window.

"How was your holiday?" Asked Amelia as she leant back in her chair.

Patricia shivered, "Well I didn't get up to too much. I just went up to Eigg to see Daniel."

What Patricia wasn't saying, however, was that she had recently started getting hot flashes and mood swings that had caused a rift to develop between her and Daniel. They were still very much in love but there had been argument after argument resulting in her boyfriend sleeping on the couch while she slept in the bed. She counted her blessings that she had such an understanding partner. She didn't know what exactly was happening to her body but given that she was in her early sixties she knew her body would be going through The Change sooner or later.

Davina on the other hand had had a rather enjoyable holiday in Greece. She had caught a bit of the sun and coming home to the UK after such warm weather had been torturous.

"It's like climbing out of your nice warm bed when it's like this outside," she said, directing her hand at the staff room window and at the gale that was tearing through the trees, "I am glad to be home though. Mittens was ever so good when we were flying to Greece," she peered into the cat basket in her hand where her black cat was curled up right at the back, looking to the untrained eye as though the basket was actually empty.

Constance cleared her throat, looking at Amelia.

"Ah yes, right. This is the new timetable," Amelia stated, pushing the nearly blank timetable towards her colleagues. Patricia looked at it, then at Amelia.

"But ye've hardly got any classes on 'ere."

Amelia nodded, "And there is a reason for that," she cleared her throat and continued, "Some of you may not have noticed but it has come to my attention that some of our girls' grammar and spelling is incredibly poor. For that reason I have made the decision to begin looking for an English teacher."

The faces around the table displayed nothing but shock. Even Constance - who had actually brought the low standard of basic grammar to the headmistress' attention - looked surprised.

"But Amelia," she said, "Surely one of us will be capable of hosting the English classes. There is no need to hire a new member of staff."

Smiling, Amelia sipped her tea. She placed her cup down again and turned to Constance, "If by that you mean yourself, then no. You have enough to deal with. You have the abacus classes as well as potions and botany. You simply don't have enough time otherwise you would have been my first choice. As for Patricia and Davina, I apologise but neither of you are that efficient when it comes to simple things like spelling and tenses."

Davina smiled, "That's fine. It means I can spend more time working on my Grecian harp music."

Patricia rolled her eyes, "First Mongolian Chantin'-"

"Mongolian Undertone Chanting." Davina corrected her.

"- Then hip-hop dancin' and now this." Patricia said as she fanned herself, peeling off her scarf and coat.

Davina didn't respond as she sipped her tea.

"As well as this change," Amelia continued, "I am also going to begin looking for a new deputy head."

At this, Constance's heart skipped. This would be perfect for her. She had already taken on some of the responsibilities of the previous deputy headmistress, Millicent Monkshood. There was no doubt in her mind that she would be Amelia's immediate choice.

"So alongside the interviews for the English teacher I will also be hosting interviews for the deputy head post."

Constance looked alarmed as she turned her head sharply to Amelia. She had to word this carefully, she couldn't ruin her chances, "But surely it would be better to source the new deputy headmistress within the school. A familiar face and someone you trust will be what you require, not someone you hardly know and, for all we know, could be untrustworthy."

Amelia lowered her gaze, "At present, Constance, I feel that there is no one on the staff that is capable of being a deputy head-"

"But Headmistress, I have been helping you with your duties. Surely that shows capabilities!" Her voice was rising in pitch, her blood pressure increasing as she felt her face flush with irritation, "I apologise Amelia but honestly I have to question the fact that you are wishing to employ a complete stranger as the deputy head."

"This is my school, Constance. I will do as I wish," Amelia said in a low voice. Then she brightened up, changing the topic as she pushed herself out of her seat, "Now I think it's time for some light refreshments."

She knew Constance was after the deputy head position. They had discussed it during the winter half term and the younger witch had seemed very interested, however Amelia did question her methods of discipline. The giving of lines and constant detentions made her relationship with the students quite fraught but they did have an unwavering respect for their apparently terrifying teacher.

There was no denying that the events that followed the burning down of the cottage had affected Constance dramatically. She no longer allowed herself to be open with people, she was harder on the girls and had become far more stern with both Davina and Patricia. The only relationship that hadn't really changed was the relationship she had with the headmistress. They had remained quite amicable but Constance had closed herself off and remained in her room whereas before she would visit Amelia's office quite frequently and talk about different topics that weren't pertaining to the school. Now she lived and breathed Cackle's Academy which was wonderful but at the same time it was as though the woman that had been there before everything that happened on New Years Day 1981 had gone.

Twelve years had passed since then and over those years she had proven herself, in her own mind, as a capable deputy to the softer Amelia. Amelia would allow the students to get away with near enough murder while Constance was strict and the students obviously feared her.

The staff made their way down to the kitchen, Patricia still flushed as they sat down and Mrs Tapioca brought over a plate of finger sandwiches. There was very little choice; tuna, ham or egg mayonnaise. Constance and Amelia both picked the ham sandwiches and ate them slowly while both Patricia and Davina appeared ravenous as they inhaled their own sandwiches.

"Did ye do anythin' nice durin' the hols?" Asked Patricia through a mouthful of food, sending crumbs of bread in Amelia's direction.

Amelia smiled slightly, "Well apart from everything we discussed earlier," she glanced at Constance who still looked quite annoyed, her nostrils flaring, "I did do a spot of gardening in the school grounds, planting crocus bulbs and trimming some of the old growth back on the plants. I would let Frank do it but I didn't want him to feel that he had to venture up from the village, especially during this kind of weather."

Frank Blossom was the school's grounds keeper and janitor. He did odd jobs for Amelia and also maintained the school so it was presentable. He had been hired some years before and had been a great help to everyone; looking after Constance's herb garden, tending to Amelia's floral displays. Frank had proved to be a dab hand both with jobs around the castle and repairs, such as those he helped with when the cottage was burned down.

"What a lovely way to spend the half term," Smiled Davina as she sipped her glass of elderflower cordial, "I must admit I did miss the floral displays whilst I was in Greece. How about you Constance?"

Constance looked up from her glass of water and empty plate, "The usual. Marking homework, preparing timetables and working on the school's accounts. I must say Amelia, however you had been doing them before was frankly inadequate."

Amelia held her tongue at Constance's waspish tone and instead turned the conversation to more pressing matters, "I would really like a slice of cheesecake. Would anyone else like one?"

Patricia and Davina nodded as Amelia served slices of the lemon cheesecake while Constance looked quite stern as she carried herself upstairs to the potion lab and proceeded with her paperwork.

The idea of a new member of staff coming to Cackle's was a frightful thought and the next morning Amelia insisted on going through application forms.

"How about this one?" Amelia asked, extending an arm and passing Constance an application form for a woman with exceptional teaching experience but...

"She was arrested last year." Constance said, pointing at the comment on the application form when it came to the question about a criminal record, "Arrested for breaking and entering no less. It seems she was let out early for good behaviour."

Amelia's eyes widened, "Really? Oh silly me, I didn't see that." She took back the application form and straightened her pale green cardigan, "Okay, this one?"

Constance took the application form and read through it. A woman slightly younger than herself from Cornwall. Her paperwork was flawless; teaching experience at a school especially for children with learning difficulties and an English Literature masters degree from Exeter University no less. In fact to Constance this woman sounded completely trustworthy and able to look after some of the more troubling girls.

"She appears to be a possible, Headmistress."

Amelia nodded, "I will contact her for an interview then." She pushed the paperwork to one side and looked very serious as she gazed across the desk at Constance, "There's something I want to ask you."

Constance's heart skipped again as she shuffled in her seat, knowing that Amelia was going to ask her to be deputy. She smiled smugly at the headmistress.

"I was wondering if you could sit in on the interview with the new English teacher and for the deputy interviews as well? Just so I have a second opinion."

"Oh." Constance said flatly, her chest deflating, the smile leaving her lips as quickly as it had appeared, "Of course."

Amelia smiled sweetly and shuffled the application forms, passing the unsuccessful candidates to Constance who would write to them on the headmistress' behalf. She took them and walked to the potions lab where she read through the application forms, focusing on the women applying for the job that was rightfully hers.

If it was possible there would have been steam coming out of Constance's ears as she read through some of the applications. None of these women were nearly as experienced and well trained as her as she had achieved a new qualification for her potion brewing, making her the highest qualified teacher in the school. They shouldn't have even been considered for the role.

"What is Amelia thinking?" Constance thought to herself as she flicked through the forms, "Some of these women are hardly appropriate. Oh well," She pointed her casting fingers at her desk and summoned a typewriter and a healthy-sized pile of blank paper so she could make a start on the letters.

Before she could make a start however, there was a tap at the potion lab door. It was Patricia wearing a rather uncharacteristic outfit; a thin, white shirt and a dark grey pleated skirt.

"What is it?" Constance said sharply, her fingers poised over the typewriter.

Patricia entered the room looking crestfallen; her face was a brilliant scarlet, her makeup smeared around her eyes.

"Can ye do somethin' about these hot flashes, flower? They're killin' es." Patricia croaked as she flung herself like a rag doll onto one of the benches, nearly hitting her head on one of the mini cauldrons.

Constance rolled her eyes as she got up from the desk and looked at Patricia who was dripping with sweat. She looked so uncomfortable with her grey-blonde hair sticking to her forehead and her usually heavy makeup had either been absorbed by her skin or had smeared down her cheeks.

"Throwing yourself around my classroom is hardly going to help you, Patricia. Now," Constance took Patricia's boiling hot wrist and checked her pulse. It seemed perfectly healthy to her, so no infection or underlying illnesses, "What normally happens when you get these hot flashes?"

Patricia gulped, "Well it feels like somebody has cracked an egg on me head and it's just waves of heat goin' down es. Honestly Connie-"

"Constance." She said irritably.

"-I want to feel normal again. It's so awful," and Patricia did something Constance had not been expecting. For the first time in the twelve years they had worked together Patricia Gimlet began to cry. It was hard to tell how much, given how red and moist her face was, but she leant her sweaty head against Constance, who patted her shoulder, trying to provide some comfort.

"It does sound like you're going through menopause," Constance said very softly as Patricia lifted her scarlet face once again.

"Is there anythin' ye can do?" Through her sobs Patricia's accent became even broader, "Like a potion?"

Constance's eyes narrowed as she cast her mind back to her potion books. There were potions for period pains, potions for pregnancy... Was there anything for menopause? "I'm not sure. I will have to check for you. What I will suggest is a cool bath for now. Amelia has given me some work to do so I will come and check on you after I've finished it and then we can look through my potion books."

Patricia flung her arms around Constance and squealed, "Thank you so much!" And she walked away to the bathroom to have an extra cool bath.

Watching as the laboratory door swung shut, Constance directed her casting fingers at her dress to remove the sweaty smears that Patricia had left on her dress. She pondered for a moment, considering Patricia's situation. The peculiar thing about witches is that their bodies age slower than the bodies of non-witches. You could find witches in their late seventies that hadn't experienced The Change, yet it's commonplace for a mere mortal to go through menopause in their late forties.

After a few moments of contemplation she resumed her letter writing. There was a soft miaow from under her desk as Morgana leapt onto her knee and began nuzzling her mistress, purring like a car engine, her olive green eyes blinking up at Constance as she worked.

"Hello, Sweetheart," Constance said as she scratched Morgana's ears - her favourite spot.

The little kitten Constance had been given back in her first year at Cackle's was now thirteen years old but still very affectionate and just as beautiful. She was long and sleek with wide olive green eyes and a loud purr.

Morgana gave a little chirrup as she kneaded Constance's thigh. Constance, who was busying herself writing the letters, tickled her chin absently as she typed. The act of writing was quite soothing for Constance and soon she had written to each of the unsuccessful applicants for the deputy role and those who had applied for the opening for the English teacher, apart from the one they had picked for the job.

"Have you written to her?" Constance asked as she popped her head around the office door on her way to the post box in the village.

"Who? Oh yes, no not yet." Amelia said softly as she drank her cup of tea.

Morgana nuzzled around Constance's ankles as she stood staring at the headmistress.

Amelia looked up from her desk, seeing the look on Constance's face, "I know, I know. I'll get it done right away."

"Good," Constance said sharply, "And until then these letters will remain in your top tray," She placed the mountain of stamped envelopes in the metal tray on Amelia's desk, "If you want me to write to her I will."

"Perhaps that would be best," Amelia passed Constance the application form and gave an apologetic smile. She did feel terrible putting all of this on Constance but she was a resilient woman, very bright and wise beyond her years.

Constance took the application form back to the potion lab and began typing quickly. She read through the letter a couple of times and took it to Amelia to sign and then posted it in the post box down the road along with all of the other letters.

A few days later, the day before the start of the summer term, a figure flew over the gates on a broomstick covered with ribbons. The figure, who was wearing a cream cloak, came to a jolting halt in the courtyard sending her cat basket and suitcase flying from the brush end.

"This must be her," Constance stated, turning to Amelia as they watched from the staff room window, "Unless Amanda Honeydew has decided to change her fashion sense. What a graceless flyer."

Amelia ignored the scathing comment as she watched the woman who was putting her broom in the broom shed and picking up her cat basket and luggage. She began walking towards the heavy wooden door. She knocked softly and waited until Amelia greeted her.

"Welcome to Cackle's Academy. You must be Edith?"

The woman placed her suitcase on the flagstone and lowered her hood revealing her sandy blonde hair and deep brown eyes. She extended a golden hand and smiled sweetly, "Edith Greene. I'm glad to meet you Amelia," she said in a breathy voice as she and Amelia shook hands, "I don't want to be a pain but this suitcase is very heavy and Gaia would like to stretch her legs. Is there anywhere I can put them while we're having the interview?"

"Gaia?" Amelia raised an eyebrow.

"My cat," Edith explained, "She's ever so fussy and she was complaining for about two miles before we got here."

Amelia nodded, leading Edith up to her room while Constance, Davina and Patricia discussed the newest staff member in the staff room.

"She has a lot of experience in specially adapted schools for children with severe learning difficulties," Constance explained as her colleagues enquired about the mysterious girl, "And she has a degree in English Literature. I think she will be perfect for the role. All we need to be sure of now is that she's tough enough to handle our more difficult students like-"

"Amanda Honeydew," Patricia and Davina chorused in sing-song voices. They had grown so used to Constance complaining about Amanda, who was in Davina's year group at the moment, that they knew when one of her rants was about to start.

"Well really! There is no need for her to dress the way she does. Adjusting her pinafore dress so it's in the middle of her thighs and wearing all of that frivolous jewellery. And her hair is appalling-"

"Hey! I helped her with that."

Constance scowled at Patricia, "That's probably why it's so terrible. Obviously you've forgotten the blue rinse incident you had with your own hair a few years ago."

Patricia ran a hand through her silvery hair, "Well that wasn't my fault. Fernando put the dye in me hair..."

"And you willingly walked out of that salon." Constance said with a roll of her eyes, "That's not the point. Amanda has been told time and time again about her... dress sense, for lack of a better word. It is inappropriate. What if the head of the board of governors arrives unexpectedly and she is dressed like that?"

Davina looked up just as the staff room door opened revealing Amelia with a slim, sandy haired girl behind her. She had almond shaped brown eyes and a heart shaped face. Her hair came down in soft waves and rested gently on her chest.

"Ladies, this is Edith Greene. She will be our new English teacher."

She didn't intend to gawp at the young woman standing in the doorway but Constance couldn't help it. She was wearing a floaty grey top and a long black gypsy skirt that made a whooshing sound as she walked. Edith sat beside Constance and smiled at her colleagues, fiddling with a delicate ring on her left hand. Constance could smell a very earthy smell, like patchouli oil. Edith must have been wearing it as perfume

"Where are ye from, flower?" Patricia asked, trying to be as supportive as she could be, given how uncomfortable she was.

Edith blushed slightly, shuffling in her seat, "Cornwall."

Davina noticed the bracelet on Edith's wrist, "Is that a chakra bracelet?"

Edith fiddled with the bracelet on her right wrist. It was a combination of many different crystals; sodalite, hematite, tiger's eye, "Oh this? My mother bought it for me as a birthday present a few years ago," she replied, "Anyway. Enough about me-"

"We're borin', tell es about yeself!" Patricia said more forcefully than usual, "I want to know everythin' there is to know about Edith Greene."

Constance and Amelia exchanged a look. Were they really going to sit back and let Patricia Gimlet practically interview the new member of staff? Edith seemed uncomfortable hosting an audience. Constance shot Patricia a look. She nodded, taking the hint.

"Perhaps it would be a good idea for Amelia and I to take over from here, Patricia? Miss Greene, if you would follow me I will show you to your classroom. I'm sure you have all of your literature organised?" Constance asked as they stepped into the hallway.

Edith shrugged, "I've had a word with Amelia about text books and she is happy to order them for me. Until they arrive I can quite easily have the girls read through scenes from Shakespeare's plays. I know Richard the Third and MacBeth off by heart so they can use my books," she said with a little chuckle.

Constance forced a slight smile, "I do have to apologise about Patricia, Miss Greene-"

"Edith, please."

"- She is rather forward. She was with me when I first started twelve years ago. It's just her curious nature I suppose," They reached the classroom beside the library. Constance pointed to the door, "Classroom Three. This will be yours. It may need a tidy up and re-arranging to how you would like it but I'm sure it will be satisfactory."

Edith opened the door and looked inside. It was an unused classroom, which was obvious by the amount of dust on the windows and desks. Edith pointed her casting finger and the room was spotless in a matter of moments.

Constance's eyes narrowed, "Miss Greene, we have a policy here at Cackle's Academy. Magic must not be used for-"

"Selfish or trivial ends, I know. It's also in The Witch's Code. This isn't selfish or trivial though. It's cleaning which is for the benefit of everybody including you, Miss...?"

"Hardbroom." Constance replied, "Constance Hardbroom. Now if we proceed down the corridor I'll show you to Amelia's office."

"Thank you Constance. I know Amelia said I pretty much have the job but it's great that you're willing to do the interview anyway. To be honest," she added with a little titter, "I thought Patricia was going to interview me."

Constance smirked, "Patricia Gimlet is many things, Edith, subtle is not one of them - especially when it comes to trying to be friendly. She has obviously taken a shine to you," They entered Amelia's office together as the headmistress sat looking at them.

"Did you like the classroom we've picked for you?" Amelia asked as Edith took the seat on the other side of the desk. Edith nodded and smiled, "Right. We'll start with the interview then. Constance, are you not stopping?"

Constance had remained in the doorway, unsure as to whether Amelia actually needed her there for the interview. She sighed and sat down beside the headmistress.

The interview itself went very well. Edith was obviously a very bright girl with a lot of love to give. She had explained about her past, how she had been in the foster care system after her parents broke up and her birth mother had been killed in a car accident when she was five years old.

"I was adopted when I was eight by my Mum. She's interested in magic but she didn't know she'd adopted a witch so that came as quite a shock," Edith laughed, "She's interested in tarot cards and crystals and things like that. Of course I am too, we have a shared interest in the white arts."

The white arts are forms of magic like tarot readings, palmistry, crystal magic – not spell casting but as close to true magic as a non-magic person can get. Some witches do practice the white arts too but to a lesser extent.

"And you have a degree in English Literature. Why did you go to a normal university rather than somewhere like Weirdsister or Rosehill?" Constance asked, looking at Edith's applications form, "Your Witch's Higher Certificate shows you have excellent spell casting abilities so why let them go to waste?"

Edith smiled, taking Constance's barb in her stride, "I didn't let them go to waste at all. I may have gone down a non-magical route with my studies but that doesn't make me any less of a witch. It just means that I have a more relevant view of both the magical and non-magical community. You've seen that I'm still capable of performing magic if I need to, Miss Hardbroom."

Constance pursed her lips. The girl had answered her question perfectly. How irritating!

"Very well, Edith Greene," She said, feeling her cheeks flushing slightly after she noticed Amelia's smile out of the corner of her eye, "You will be looking after the first year class. Do you have tutor experience?"

Edith nodded, "Yes. In my old school I looked after the children with the learning age of five years old."

After a few more moments of discussion, where Edith talked about her partner Jay and how he was in the army, Amelia had made her final decision, "Well dear, you are more than welcome to work with us, that is if you would still like that?"

"Of course. Thank you, Amelia. You won't regret this decision," Edith took Amelia's hand again and shook it. Then she turned to Constance who gave an obviously forced smile.

"All we need to do is fill in some paperwork and the job is officially yours. Constance, could you get the documents for me please?"

Constance held her tongue as she walked to the other side of the room to pick up Edith's file. She was getting quite tired of being Amelia's personal assistant, she was more qualified than that. Regardless of her temper, however, she passed Amelia the file and she and Edith filled in the paperwork so she could officially start working at the school.

At dinner that evening Edith sat beside Constance again and sat in silence eating what looked like an overcooked mushrooms.

"What is that?" Constance asked finally as curiosity got the better of her.

Edith looked up as she was cutting through the strange substance on her plate, "This? It's a vegetarian substitute. It's very nice actually. Would you like to try some?"

Constance grimaced, "No. I'm quite happy with my stew."

Amelia smiled, "Edith is a vegetarian, Constance."

"Is she really?" She said, obviously feigning interest. Grinding her teeth, she pushed herself to her feet, "If you don't mind I think I'm ready to go to bed," and she folded her arms and disappeared into thin air.

"What on Earth?" Edith muttered.

"She has a habit of doing that," Davina explained, "She appears out of nowhere sometimes and frightens the girls. I don't think she does it intentionally, it's just poor timing."

"Or good timin'," Patricia added, "She'll probably be wantin' to catch them unaware."

Edith looked down at her plate, a solemn expression on her face, "Was it something I said? I didn't mean to upset her."

Amelia patted her shoulder, "It just takes her a while to get used to people. I think she may be annoyed at me, actually, and taking it out on you. She has her heart set on the deputy job. Not to worry though, dear, she'll warm to you eventually. "

Patricia snorted loudly, "Ye jokin' aren't ye? That girl has been breathin' down my neck since day one. She's the grumpiest, most impatient..." her voice died away as she saw the expression on Amelia's face. The headmistress didn't need to say anything to make Patricia stop talking. Patricia changed her tune abruptly, "And she can be so sweet at times too. Ever so helpful."

Davina nudged Patricia's arm, "Well saved there."

Edith stood up, "I think I'll check and see if she's okay-"

"That's not a good idea. Give her some space and we will talk about it tomorrow morning." Said Amelia.

Edith furrowed her brow, tucking a strand of her wavy blonde hair behind her ear as she sat back down.

Constance, however, was in her bedroom pacing backwards and forwards. She was grinding her teeth even harder as she walked, ranting at Morgana.

"It's obvious favouritism. All I've heard since she arrived is "Edith this, Edith that". It's boiling my blood how Amelia can take to her so quickly."

Morgana gave a little miaow as she watched her mistress, wondering why on Earth she was so irritated. She didn't understand what exactly Constance was feeling. All she wanted to do was make her feel better. The little cat was sat on top of the dresser looking like a statue from a museum with her olive green eyes peering down. She jumped when there was a gentle knock at the door.

Constance looked up at the clock on the wall. It was nine o'clock. She went to the door and opened it.

"Ah." She said shortly.

Edith stood in the doorway, a large pile of cream fur in her arms, "May I come in?"

"Do I have a choice?" Constance asked as she held the door open for Edith who placed the pile of cream fur on the floor revealing it to be a large, fluffy ragdoll cat with piercing blue eyes and a long tail that wound around her mistress' leg like a serpent. Morgana gave a little growl as she saw the strange cat, her back arching and her fur sticking up.

"Listen," Edith began, standing by the book shelf in the corner by the bed, "I am so sorry if I have upset you in any way. I never intended to hurt your feelings with what I said in the interview if that's what this is all about."

Constance thought for a moment. What on Earth was Edith on about? The girl hadn't hurt her feelings at all and for her to take her "disagreement" with Amelia personally was never intended. However the girl did feel like she had done something wrong.

"Thank you. I appreciate the sentiment," She replied, "Now I think perhaps you should get to bed and make sure you're well rested for tomorrow."

Edith beamed at Constance, her golden face glowing as she gathered her cat in her arms, which had been sniffing around Morgana's food much to the displeasure of the black cat, and bid Constance goodnight. Constance closed the door behind her and with a flick of her casting fingers she was in her pyjamas, her long black hair released from the tight bun and now hanging loose around her waist as she climbed into bed. Morgana dashed from the dresser to cuddle up with her, nuzzling into her arms as they slowly drifted off to sleep.


	2. The First Rule Of Book Club

"Pink hair, Headmistress!"

Those were the words that left Constance's lips as they returned to the staff room after the first day of term had come to a close. Amelia sat down, rubbing her temples, followed by Edith, Davina and Patricia. Constance remained standing.

"We need to talk about this, Amelia. It's inappropriate. What if the head of the board of governors appeared and she had her hair like that? The school would be closed down."

"It looks quite nice actually," Patricia commented, "I like it and I'm sure Mr Hallow will too!"

Constance shot Patricia an icy glare, "You would say that wouldn't you?"

Davina snorted loudly, remembering all too well Constance's reaction to the blue rinse incident of 1983. At the sight of Patricia's hair that day she had walked into the staff room and walked straight back out again.

"It _is_ self expression," Edith stated, "However I have to agree with Constance. For a school environment-"

"For _any_ environment." Constance scowled.

"-It is inappropriate. I'll help Amanda wash the pink out of her hair if that's okay? I know how to do it. When I was at uni my room mate Clara put purple hair dye in my shampoo as a joke," she added, turning to Davina who was sniggering at the idea of the thick and messy mass of blonde hair beside her being a brilliant violet.

Constance finally sat down after looming like the Grim Reaper and she scoffed, "Amanda Honeydew. I told you, Amelia, we should have expelled her in her first year after that incident with the harmonium. We've been far too lenient with that girl."

Davina sighed, "She did only stick eggs in the pipes. She didn't damage school property at all."

"When you started playing during morning assembly and Connie got an egg right on her bun! Eee man that was funny."

Constance remembered only too well the firework display of eggs in the great hall as she stared at Patricia, willing her to stop talking.

"I was bad laughin'. Amanda may have got detention for it but the look on your face was worth it!" Patricia had started cackling with laughter at this point as Constance sighed.

"Well she may not have damaged school property but it could have done serious harm, not to mention putrid smells," Constance said flatly, "And if we could stop talking about it," she added as Patricia descended into another fit of giggles at she caught Davina's eye, "Aren't you sixty three this year, Patricia?"

Patricia promptly cleared her throat and grabbed the empty mug in front of her, trying to take a drink, "A lady never reveals her age," she said in an extra-refined voice.

Constance nodded, smirking nastily, "Of course not."

"Well," Amelia said, "What shall we do about Amanda Honeydew? I have to agree with Constance. This behaviour can't go on."

The staff sat in silence for a few moments, mulling over ideas. Constance suggested more broomstick flying to which Amelia declined profusely, reminding her of the occasion where Amanda and her friends flew over the village and spooked a herd of cows. Davina suggested extra chanting lessons, saying that singing was good for the soul. Patricia was too sweaty to suggest anything.

Finally it was Edith's turn, "Well when I was teaching at my old school we had a book club. The kids really enjoyed it and it made reading more fun for them because we'd play games and take part in different activities pertaining to the books that we'd been reading. What do you think?"

Amelia and Constance shared a look. Constance thought encouraging reading was a brilliant idea and wondered why she hadn't thought of suggesting it herself. Amelia seemed very impressed by the new starter's idea and they planned the book club for the following afternoon after the final lesson had finished. Edith would host it and the girls would say which books they would like to read over the term so the staff could order them in.

"Can I come?" Davina asked, "I've been reading this wonderful book about lots of different places around the country."

Edith smiled brightly, "Of course you're welcome to come, Davina. I'd love for you to be there. Which book is it that you've been reading?"

Davina scurried over to the bookshelf in the corner and came back with a map of the United Kingdom.

"That doesn't count as reading material," Constance said sharply.

"It's a book!" Davina cried, flicking the pages in front of Constance's face, "It has pages and I can read it and I actually find it quite interesting."

Patricia gave a dramatic sigh as she walked out of the staff room, her back pouring with sweat as she stepped into the corridor. Constance decided to follow her and was greeted by a very loud groan rather than a voice.

"Are you that uncomfortable?"

Patricia groaned again, too exhausted to even give a proper response.

Bracing herself, Constance ushered Patricia upstairs and led her up to her bedroom, renowned to be the coldest room in the castle, and told her to sit by the window. Morgana was curled up on the bed. She stretched as Constance closed the door, blinked, then curled back up again.

"Okay. Health books," Constance began searching her overstocked bookshelf, pulling out all of her different books, flicking through them as she tried to find some cure for Patricia's menopausal symptoms, "How often are these flashes?"

Patricia, who was slumped in a chair by the window, began to count on her fingers, looking up at the ceiling. She had finally managed to get the strength to speak as she opened her mouth and said, "Constantly. I'm not even goin' to sugar coat it. I am constantly boilin' hot. I feel like somebody has attached a fireplace to es."

Constance nodded, sitting back on her heels as she flicked through all of her different books, bookmarking chapters that could be interesting or helpful for her colleague as she piled them up in order. It only took about ten minutes to actually go through Constance's wide selection of health books but to Patricia it felt like a lifetime.

"Anytime now would be great." She snapped, running a sweaty hand over her dripping wet forehead, "It's not like I'm boilin' to death or owt."

Constance scowled, "Patience is a virtue, Miss Gimlet, one that you should start heeding," as she carried the large pile of books over to Patricia, "Here are some books I've picked out. This one," she picked out a book from her pile, one she had used herself for her period cramps in the past, "Is brilliant. You have a look through some and I'll have a look through the rest. I've bookmarked the areas that are about female health," she added, seeing that Patricia looked quite bewildered at what she initially thought was Constance suggesting for her to read through a mountain of books.

They went through the books in silence. Together they found one book that may have been of some use – _The Seasoned Witch: A Guide To The Ageing Female Form –_ and they examined the section purely about the menstrual cycle. Though it wasn't much help when it came to stopping Patricia's symptoms it did have one suggestion.

"Hormone Replacement Therapy?" Patricia boomed as she read through the chapter, "No way am I goin' on HRT. Sorry but I'd much rather sweat to death than go on that rubbish."

Constance agreed. Pumping her body full of artificial chemicals wasn't going to help Patricia get any better. The moment she decided to stop taking them she'd be back to square one again. She needed a magical, natural cure, one that would not disturb her body's progression into old age.

"Amelia had no problems when she went through menopause. Maybe we should ask her?" Constance proposed.

When they asked Amelia, however, the headmistress admitted that she had no issue. One day she just felt very hot and then that was it - done. Patricia grumbled as she, yet again, flopped into the chair in Amelia's office.

"Is there nothin' I can do? Nothin' to get the flushes to stop?" Patricia's voice was strangled as she fought off a wave of hysteria. She was so uncomfortable and so tired that she was nearly always on the verge of crying, at least since the end of the winter term.

Amelia sat down in her chair, "Well there is one thing that will help. It's not a conventional witch medicine though so you will need to see a normal doctor."

Patricia pursed her lips, "If it's HRT-"

"It's the only thing that I know that works. Do you have any suggestions, Constance? You're good with medicine."

Constance furrowed her eyebrows, "Well we looked through all of my books didn't we? We couldn't find a thing," then she moved to stand behind Patricia, who was radiating heat from where she sat, "I hate to admit that I agree with using this new-fangled medicine but Hormone Replacement Therapy does sound like the only option that is guaranteed to work. I doubt tying onions to the soles of your feet and sleeping in garlic oil will help you," she remarked, as one of the many books she had read through had mentioned some very strange methods for curing hot flashes, which were Patricia's biggest problem at the moment, beside the mood swings that she had been experiencing.

She wiped her eyes and sniffed, "I cannet understand. Normally there's a magical cure for everythin'. Magic has never let es down and I just... I just dinnar if I can use normal medicine after so many years of relyin' on magic for things," she dabbed her eyes again and took a shaking breath, "I'm gonna have to think about it, mind."

Amelia pursed her lips apprehensively. There shouldn't have been any thinking involved for her staff member. It should have been a case of accepting the cure for her ailment and going with it. Of course Amelia wasn't a trained physician but she had heard some amazing success stories about Hormone Replacement Therapy. Her friend Gloria Cosie had been taking it for years and hadn't had a hot flash since the medication worked its way into her system.

She would need to wait and see how Patricia felt in a few days time. Until then her main focus was the book club that Edith had recommended they do and, after Patricia had left the office, Amelia and Constance worked on a reading list, or their proposed reading list. It was highly unlikely the girls were going to read any of the books their teachers suggested.

They provided Edith with the list on Wednesday afternoon, just before the book club took place in the great hall. The furniture had been rearranged so the chairs were in a circle rather than in rows. Edith had asked for this specifically as it allows the girls to discuss their ideas and opinions of the books more freely rather than swivelling in their chairs and having to raise their voices to be heard.

The girls filed into the hall in silence, taking their seats and picking up the empty notepads that had been placed on their seats.

Edith rubbed her hands together,"Hello girls! Thanks for coming." She announced as best she could in her breathy voice. The girls all looked up towards her and fell silent, "Now as you are aware I've asked Miss Cackle to start up a book club so I can share some of my favourite books with you and you can share some of your favourite books with each other. Hopefully we can get to know each other a bit more and I'm hoping the rest of the teachers will muck in too."

"Muck in?" Constance sneered, turning ever so slightly to Amelia, "How impertinent."

Amelia sighed, "She's just trying to get onto the girls' level. Give her time. You're jumping down her throat and you've only known her for five minutes."

Edith's voice echoed around the silent hall, "Now girls I want you to write down what you would like to cover in our book club and we'll go round and talk about them; why you like them, why you think your friends will like them and such like," she caught Constance's eye, "And that includes the staff as well."

Constance cleared her throat, lowering her head as she whispered, "Well the girls will never want to read what we suggest will they? And didn't we give her a list earlier?"

"Humour her." Amelia hissed from the corner of her lips, "I'm sure she knows what she's doing."

After everyone had jotted down the book they would like to read during the book club, Edith went around the room and asked everyone one at a time what they would like. Amanda Honeydew suggested _The Catcher In The Rye_ , Davina had scrawled _The Cat In The Hat_ , Constance wrote down _Alice's Adventures In Wonderland_ and Amelia put forward _To Kill A Mockingbird_.

"That's not at all appropriate for fourteen year old girls, Miss Gimlet!" Edith cried as she looked at Patricia's suggestion of _The Delta of Venus_.

"Well they need to know these things." Patricia said in a very blasé tone.

"Shoving sex under their noses isn't going to give them a healthy attitude towards it once they get older. Moving on..." Edith continued around the room, taking suggestions from the other students.

A lot of the girls wanted to read _The Lord of the Rings_ series which Edith was very excited about, given that it was her favourite book series when she had been growing up. She could remember going to the charity shop with her foster mother when she had been no older than six years old and picking up a battered copy of _The Fellowship Of The Ring_ and staying up all night with a torch reading. That had been when she had fallen in love with words – silky and flowing so beautifully, unfurling like a spiral of daisies in a grassy meadow on a warm summer's day. That's how she saw them anyway. To someone else it would have been numbers, science, art, music...

She jotted down all of the ideas and promised the girls she would come up with a shortlist for next week's club meeting. Once the girls had disbanded and gone for their breaks Constance left with Amelia to go over the week ahead.

They had agreed that Constance would sit in on the interviews for the new deputy headmistress and Amelia had a few ladies she wanted to meet. She wanted to run them past Constance before she called them in however as the formidable potions mistress was known for her scrutiny of minute details. She would know the one to go for. Of course poor Constance still had her heart set on the position herself and Amelia had a little plan for their private afternoon meeting that the all knowing Miss Hardbroom was not yet aware of.

Amelia sat down behind her desk, Constance sitting opposite her, and pulled out a large A4 notepad and a pen. She pulled her glasses down onto her nose and began to write.

"Have you compiled a list of potential deputies?" Constance asked quickly, wanting to get this out of the way as quickly as possible. The fact that Amelia was wanting her to be involved in this decision was a great feeling but at the same time she felt as though the job was hers by right.

Amelia nodded gently, "But first I want to ask you a question, Constance."

Constance shuffled in her seat, straightening her back. She did look quite elegant sat there, her long dark hair pulled into a neat bun, her back straight and her neck extended like that of a swan.

"Would you like me to interview you for this position?" Amelia asked, "I know how keen you are to get this job and it's inevitable your application will end up on my desk eventually so we might as well cut out the middle man and-"

Constance nodded quickly, "Of course, Amelia! Oh thank you," She beamed at the headmistress for the first time in nearly twelve years and for a moment Amelia thought she saw a glimmer of the young girl she had interviewed so many years before. Of course this glimmer of joy was gone almost immediately as the younger witch in front of her resumed her usual straight backed authoritative demeanour.

"Right, well. First thing's first. I must ask if you have a criminal record?"

Constance's eyes widened in shock. Having spent near enough the best part of the last twelve years together, Amelia should have known Constance wasn't the type of woman to have a criminal record, "Well of course not. You know that."

Amelia looked over her glasses at Constance, "There's no harm in double checking. I don't now what you get up to when you're not here."

"Oh yes, kidnapping kittens and stealing canes from elderly gentlemen are only a few of my many criminal pastimes." Constance said dryly, then seeing the shocked expression on Amelia's face she snapped, "For goodness sake! You know I would never do that."

Pursing her lips and giving another glance over her glasses, Amelia wrote something down on her notepad. The rest of the interview continued in much the same way; Amelia treating it as a standard interview, asking questions that would be asked to a complete stranger and Constance taking all of the standard queries as personal jibes.

When Amelia asked about her hobbies Constance refused to answer, saying that Amelia knew all too well what she got up to in her spare time.

"Marking school work doesn't constitute a hobby, Constance," Amelia stated, pushing her glasses back up on to her head.

Rolling her eyes, Constance sighed, "Fine. When I'm not marking school work I like to garden and train Morgana."

Constance watched as Amelia scribbled something else on her jotter until finally she said, "Right. Let's have a look at this other applicants then."

"What?" Constance said in an almost squeaky voice, "Is that it?"

Amelia sighed deeply, "I'm treating your application as I would any other. Just because we're friends and work colleagues doesn't mean you will be a successful candidate, nor does it lessen your chances either. I'm remaining impartial until I have seen all of the other candidates. You are still in the running, dear." She added, seeing Constance's slight pout that she would give when she wasn't getting her own way.

Finally they started going through the mound of application forms. They had stopped advertising the role in the newspapers so now they were working their way through the piles upon piles of applications.

"Ah," Amelia said after a little while, "You remember I was thinking about adding P.E to the syllabus?"

"Mm-hmm?" Constance didn't look up as she organised piles of application forms.

"Well, here's a lady who I think will be perfect. She's a swimming teacher-"

Constance's head snapped up at the mention of swimming, "Where do you expect her to teach the girls? In the brook?"

Amelia laughed softly, "No. There's a swimming pool in the village school we could use. I'd need to write to the headmaster, Mr Ridley, but I'm sure it won't be an issue. He's used plenty of our facilities before."

"When was this exactly?" Constance asked.

"Well before you started here, he and Trish had a fling and-"

"Oh!" Constance grimaced, "Say no more. I get the picture."

"Anyway I shall write to this lady, Mrs Pole, and ask her to come to the school for an interview and a trial."

"Headmistress," Constance said, sounding softer than usual, "I know I've said this before but I'm really not sure about adding P.E to the syllabus for this school. Don't the girls get enough exercise what with their broomstick flying?"

Amelia smiled, "Well they do do a lot of broomstick flying, but that isn't invigorating exercise is it? They need to be physically stimulated and we need to encourage a healthy lifestyle," she said as she reached across her desk for a packet of custard creams.

Constance slapped her hand away, "Encouraging a healthy lifestyle indeed," and she directed her casting fingers at the packet of biscuits, receiving an anguished gasp from Amelia.

* * *

 **A/N: I hope you enjoyed this update! Next week we'll be meeting Mrs Pole and perhaps seeing a bit more of the mischievous Amanda Honeydew.**


	3. Keep Going

Mrs Angela Pole was a tall lady with thick, grey hair tied back into a jaunty ponytail. She was strongly built and had a voice like a foghorn. She flew over the school gates only two hours before breakfast and Patricia had been the first to greet her. She led her into the staff room and sat her down, offering her a cup of tea after such a long journey from the north east.

"Where abouts are ye from?" Patricia asked, handing Mrs Pole a cup of steaming hot builder's tea.

"Durham," She said flatly, "I'm from Durham. Ye sound like ye're from Newcastle."

Patricia nodded as she joined Mrs Pole in her tea drinking, "I live in Jesmond at the moment, born in Whitley Bay. Eee you know it is amazin' to hear a familiar accent. It gets a bit tirin' bein' surrounded by Southerners all the time."

Mrs Pole ground her teeth, looking at Patricia. She was incredibly fussy looking with her precisely groomed platinum locks and perfectly plucked eyebrows. Too fussy for a school environment in her opinion, "Are we gettin' this interview started or what?"

As soon as the words left her lips, the staff room door crashed open, revealing Amelia with Constance hot on her heels.

"Sorry to keep you waiting so long, Mrs Pole. I hope Patricia hasn't been too much of a nuisance."

"Hey! I'm not a nuisance. I'll have you know I'm very warm and welcomin'."

Constance made a scathing noise at Patricia's comment as she and Amelia escorted Mrs Pole to the office for her interview.

"'Tired of being surrounded by Southerners'?" A voice came as though from nowhere.

Patricia looked around, "Where are ye, Davina?"

Davina's head popped out from behind the stationary cupboard door, "Cooee!"

Patricia jumped in her seat at the sudden noise from just behind her. She punched the cupboard door, but regretted it immediately as a shooting pain went up and down her first two knuckles.

"Ooh! Ye little bastard!" She growled through gritted teeth.

Davina was giggling as she emerged from the cupboard and sat down in the seat Mrs Pole had been occupying only moments before. As she positioned herself comfortably on the rickety chair the staff room door opened. It was Edith and she was carrying a book and an envelope. Her face was blotchy and her eyes were red and swollen.

"What's that?" Davina asked, snatching the envelope from on top of Edith's book and reading the letter inside.

Edith sniffed loudly, "My boyfriend, well fiancée, he's staying in Germany for a little longer than we were expecting. He won't be back home until June now." She sighed and put her head on top of her book, her long blonde hair falling around her like a mass of golden silk.

Davina rubbed her back, trying to provide some comfort. She had no real words of wisdom for the younger woman but all the same she offered her a welcoming hand of friendship.

Edith looked up from her book and then at Davina and Patricia, "I'm sorry for being like this. I just... Not seeing Jay for so long is really hard. I love him."

Patricia knew exactly how Edith felt, "Listen. My boyfriend lives up in the Inner Hebrides. I hardly ever get to see him, only when I get time off work which is hardly ever in this place, let's be honest," Edith gave a little laugh as she wiped her eyes, "What I'm tryin' to say is rather than thinkin' about how long it's been since you last saw him, think about how soon it is until you see him again. June really isn't that far away. You'll be back in his arms before you know it."

Davina smiled, "That's a lovely way of putting it, Trish."

Edith's lips quivered as new tears began to fall from beneath her long eyelashes. She wrapped her arms around Patricia and whispered in a strangled voice, "Thank you."

Patricia, despite her own discomfort, returned Edith's hug and pressed a kiss to her forehead, "Anytime, flower."

In the next room, however, things were not going as swimmingly. Mrs Pole and Constance were at loggerheads already. They were very similar in their methods of teaching but disagreed on nearly everything; uniforms, staff dress code, homework, discipline.

Amelia on the other hand had taken quite a shine to Mrs Pole, who had answered each question with precision and had given a good impression of the "fire in her belly" that had been mentioned in her application form by standing up to Constance's barbs.

"Right, well I am quite happy with how you've interviewed Mrs Pole. How do you feel about doing a little work trial today to see how you get on with the girls?"

Constance grumbled as Mrs Pole agreed to the trial and they walked out into the courtyard to wait for the girls to arrive. There was great merriment amongst the third year girls, who were the girls being trialled with Mrs Pole, as they had never been asked to use their regulation swimming costumes before. Of course they weren't the most flattering pieces of beachwear but they served their purpose. They were grey and black striped and came down to the knees and to the elbows so they were both practical and conservative.

The girls filed out into the courtyard, their bags filled with towels and slung over their backs for safe keeping as they listened to Amelia's explanation of the situation. After the girls were filled in they followed the teachers to the village. Edith, Patricia and Davina joined Constance and Amelia at the front of the herd of students while Mrs Pole wrangled the girls lagging behind like a persistent shepherd, waving her arms and hurrying them on.

"What do you think of her, Constance?" Amelia asked very quietly so as not to draw too much attention from the students, "Do you think she's capable?"

Constance frowned, "Well she doesn't appear to be a pushover, Headmistress. Her true aptitude will be tested when she tries to teach our most difficult year group," she shot a slight glance at the lax Davina who was skipping along merrily, listening to whatever Edith was talking about - probably tarot cards.

The pair of them had grown close due to their mutual love of the white arts; tarot cards, crystal balls, runes and incense. Constance didn't share their interest but noticed that the pair plus Patricia appeared to be getting very close.

They soon arrived at the pool and the girls waded into the changing room, exciting to dive into the pool. Mrs Pole changed into her teaching gear; a pair of white shorts that showed off her toned calves and a bright orange vest. She walked out into the pool area which was a large space with brilliantly white tiles covering every surface. To one side of the pool there were three long benches occupied by Amelia, Constance, Davina and Edith who were waiting for the lesson to start.

Eventually the students appeared from the changing rooms one by one, with their swimming caps covering their ears and their black and grey striped swimming costumes either too big or too tight for each student. There wasn't a single one that was a perfect fit. The girls sat down on the benches beside their teachers and waited for Mrs Pole to begin the lesson.

Amelia looked confused as she looked around the poolside. Finally she spoke, "Where's Trish?" she asked, "She didn't get lost on her way to the pool did she?"

Constance furrowed her brow and turned to Davina who was to her right, "Well? Where is she?"

Davina's head pricked up at Constance's tone and she began to make a strange clucking noise.

Edith looked alarmed until Constance leant forward and told her it was probably just one of her panic attacks and she'd be okay in a few moments. She often did have panic attacks when she was asked where anything, or anyone, was.

Eventually their questions were answered as one of the changing room doors opened.

Patricia was standing in front of the changing room door, her hands on her hips, wearing a brilliant red swimming suit that accentuated every bulge and roll of fat on her body. It was cut like a normal swimming costume, not like the ones the girls were wearing, and revealed the majority of the leathery skin on her legs and arms. She had thick spots of cellulite on her thighs that seemed to ripple as she moved.

She waddled her way over to the bench where the rest of the group were staring, open mouthed at the sight of her as she shuffled closer and closer, her bathing suit creaking with every movement she made. Constance and Amelia looked at each other. Amelia was trying to suppress a snort of laughter.

"Patricia, this lesson is purely for the girls," Constance sneered, "Perhaps it would be a good idea to get changed and sit to the side of the pool?"

Patricia sat down, still in her costume, shaking her head, "Oh no. If there are any, erm," she began waving her hand at the pool, "issues, I can dive in and help."

Constance leant forward again, "I think Mrs Pole is quite competent without your help."

"Nah. I've seen enough episodes of Baywatch to know what to do." She sat up straight, a smile creeping on to her lips, "Eee, you know me and Pamela Anderson could be sisters! We're both young, attractive blonde ladies."

There seemed to be a joint mumbling of "Oh for goodness sake" among the staff as Patricia went into one of her vanity fuelled rants, comparing herself to her current muse. They were relieved when Mrs Pole finally started the lesson.

The girls didn't seem overly enamoured with her as she barked commands at them while they were in the water and the cannon blast of noise that erupted from her made both the students and the teachers sitting by the side of the pool jump in shock.

"KEEP GOING!" She screeched, "YOU CAN DO IT!"

"She's only doing a lap of the pool isn't she?" Constance muttered from the corner of her mouth, "She's going on like she's swimming the channel," She looked at Amelia and caught sight of her concerned expression. Her fingers were tented, the crease between her eyebrows growing deeper and deeper with every passing stroke on the water.

Finally it was Amanda Honeydew's turn to take to the pool. She followed her friend, Jasmine Spellbinder, and climbed into the water, her bleached blonde hair tied up into a tight ponytail as she refused to wear her swimming cap.

At the sound of Mrs Pole's whistle she began to swim, paddling madly, sending a torrent of water straight at Constance as she thrashed in the pool, gracelessly propelling herself forward. Constance scowled as she smoothed down her now sopping wet dress and watched as Mrs Pole crowed at Amanda to keep going.

Eventually Amanda stood up, rubbing her eyes, and to everyone's horror her hair had become bright green.

With a thundering splash that sent a wave of water out of the pool and onto the students and the staff (Constance snarled in her anger), Patricia dived in head first to rescue Amanda. Amanda argued, trying to push her away but Patricia wasn't having any of it as she wrapped her arms around her student and brought her back to the edge of the pool.

"No, flower! You're strugglin', I'll save you!" She cried as she lifted her out of the pool, attempting to put her in the recovery position, "Now deep breaths-"

"Miss Gimlet!" Amanda said loudly, still rubbing her red eyes.

"Don't speak. It'll only make the water sit on your lungs."

"Miss Gimlet!" Amanda shouted, sitting up, "I got water in my eye, that's all."

Patricia stopped trying to push Amanda into the recovery position and stared, slack jawed at her. After what felt like an age she cried, "Well you should've said summet!" And she plucked Amanda up off the tiled floor and flung her back into the pool. She landed in the water with a deafening scream and a splash that sent ripples across the water, sending yet more water out of the pool and onto the tile floor.

This time Amanda really did start panicking. She had been thrown in at the deep end, literally. Her feet couldn't reach the bottom of the pool and to her horror she couldn't get herself moving without the initial push off from the floor.

Mrs Pole screeched in terror, not knowing what to do as she waved her arms, trying to gesture something to the panicking Amanda.

There wasn't much else to do. The staff were panicking, even the students were screaming, trying to encourage Amanda but their attempts were futile as she flailed in the water, kicking water around in a useless attempt to get herself moving.

Constance stood up and with a zap of her fingers Amanda was stood at the side of the pool again, bundled in a warm fluffy white towel.

The cacophony of screaming stopped abruptly as Constance glared at Mrs Pole, "Incompetent comes to mind, Mrs Pole," She seethed, "Incompetent and ostentatious in both your methods of teaching and your self proclaimed "life saving skills that are second to none". I think I've seen enough, do you Headmistress?"

Amelia stood up and nodded, "Quite right, Constance. Putting a student at risk like that. Patricia may have caused the incident but you should have been able to help Amanda Honeydew. You may go, Mrs Pole, but for the rest of the lesson the girls can enjoy the pool. I'm sure Mr Ridley won't mind," she added, seeing the excited look on her students' faces.

The girls climbed into the pool, some dive bombing as Mrs Pole left the pool area, but not without a word to Constance, "Speak to me like that again and you'll regret it."

Constance smirked, "I doubt that, Mrs Pole. I sincerely doubt that," and she watched as Mrs Pole left the building.

Amelia had emerged from the changing room in a tight fitting swimming costume, much like Patricia's it emphasised every bulge of her body.

"Where did you get that from?" Constance asked.

"Oh I put it on under my clothes just in case. Would you like to join me?"

Constance shook her head as she watched Amelia climb precariously into the pool and made her way across the water and to her students and Patricia.

Davina and Edith were sat by the side of the pool, reading each other's palms as Amanda walked over to Constance, still holding tightly on to her towel.

"Thank you, Miss." She muttered almost incoherently.

Constance's mouth twitched at the corner, almost forming a smile, "I was only doing what should have been done." Then her face returned to its usual unreadable expression, "Now join the rest of your class."

And Amanda climbed carefully into the water, wary after her recent experience, and joined her friends in the pool for a game of Marco Polo. Constance sat down beside Edith who smiled.

"We're going to have to do something about the green in Amanda's hair." She said softly, stroking Davina's hand, "What gets rid of green hair?"

"White vinegar!" Patricia shouted from the pool, "Or lemon juice!"

"Thanks Trish!" Edith called back, then with a smile she said "You did really well, Constance." She was feeling a lot perkier after her heart to heart with Patricia earlier, "I think you need to give yourself a pat on the back."

"Hmm... I was doing what should have been done by Mrs Pole. She was the one on the work trial, she should have been the one saving the day. Oh no, it's always left to me isn't it?"

Davina chuckled to herself as she crossed her legs on the bench, "Are you having a moment, Constance?"

Constance shot a deathly glare at Davina who shrank back and joined her colleagues in watching the girls, Patricia and Amelia play in the water together, enjoying what was left of the swimming lesson.

* * *

 _ **A/N: Mrs Pole may have been inspired by my old swimming teacher from school, but either way I do hope you enjoyed this update.**_


	4. A Helliboring Birthday

Five words echoed around the great hall as the morning assembly came to a close. The girls looked horrified at the prospect of what was about to happen and as everyone filed out of the hall and to their destinations; Edith to her English class, Constance to her potions lesson, Davina and Patricia to the supermarket, Amelia was finally left alone in her office.

"Miss Hardbroom?" asked one of the second year pupils as Constance entered the room.

"What is it?" She asked icily, whipping around to glare at the red haired Maisie Brute who shrank in her seat, seeing the rage behind her form mistress' narrowed eyes.

Constance ground her teeth as she sat down behind her desk, tenting her fingers as she gazed around the classroom. The second years were silent as she began, "As you all are aware the Grand Wizard, Egbert Hellibore, is visiting the school this afternoon. As Miss Cackle stated all lessons are cancelled until he has left so we can prepare the premises for His Honour's impending and unexpected arrival," Constance shuddered as she remembered all too well the slime ball Grand Wizard, the man who had insisted on staring at her breasts during every single one of their meetings, "I expect you all to be on your absolute best behaviour. I'm warning you if there is any wrongdoing from any of you," she stared icily at her flock, "The whole year group will be in detention. The Grand Wizard has a high opinion of our school and we would like to keep it that way. Do I make myself clear?"

There was a resounding "Yes Miss Hardbroom" from her students as they began the first lesson of the day.

Elsewhere, Patricia and Davina were heading to the supermarket in the school car, or as they had fondly nicknamed it "The Cackle Mobile". It was a purple Volkswagen Beetle with a rattling steering wheel that really should have been changed years ago but no one had quite gotten around to taking it to the garage to get it fixed. When it came around to the yearly M.O.T, Amelia's excuse for not getting it fixed was "Well it is only an advisory. It doesn't need to be done."

Patricia was driving down the country lanes, her glasses on the tip of her nose as she squinted at the road in front of her. Davina was holding onto the handle above the window as her friend hared around a blind corner, turning the music up to a blaring pitch. The guitar and bass made the windows of the car shake.

The two friends were singing along with the song, even mimicking the sound of the instruments as they tried to compete with the volume of the music thumping through the speakers.

"No wonder Formula One use that as their theme song." Patricia laughed, turning the volume down when the song came to an end. Eventually they drove into the town centre, a few miles east of the village, and found their way to the supermarket. Patricia pulled the handbrake up sharply, parking in a bay that was quite close to the supermarket.

"Is it okay to park here, Trish?" Davina asked, noticing the blue sign above the bay.

Patricia looked up as she whipped off her glasses and waved her hand dismissively, "Aye, we'll be alright. We're only goin' in for party food and if I need to I'll put on a limp."

Davina pursed her lips in concern as she climbed out of the car. She and Patricia walked to the supermarket, picked up a basket, and walked around the freezer aisle until Patricia spotted something in the distance.

"What are you looking at?" Davina asked, seeing the expression on her friend's face; bewilderment crossed with excitement.

Her nostrils twitched and with an eruption of sudden energy she rushed towards the deli counter, "FREE SAMPLES!" She bellowed, gravitating to the blocks of meat on sticks that were being handed out by the staff at the delicatessen.

Davina was still standing in the middle of the freezer aisle (between the ice cream and the vegetarian options) as she watched Patricia devour the ham and cheese, the turkey breast and cranberry – snatching the silver dishes from the staff and taking the food as though she had never had a good meal in her whole life which, given her robust form, was evidently not true.

She rolled her eyes as she walked over to remove the food from Patricia's clutches until she too noticed some of the free treats, "Ooh! Is that... Is that cheddar and onion?"

The staff member nodded as she took a very delicate bite of the cheese and onion on the little cocktail stick. Patricia demanded more free food but the staff refused of course so she marched away followed by Davina who was thoroughly enjoying her free cheese and onion.

They made their way back to their course around the supermarket, looking at the frozen party food which, to Patricia, didn't seem nearly as appetising now.

"I don't want any of this now." She grumbled as Davina pulled a selection of spring rolls from the freezer cabinet.

"Free food does always taste nicer doesn't it?" Davina sighed as she put the box in the basket and she continued to examine the food stacked on the frost-covered shelves.

"Yeah well we cannet get this for free can we? Best get some food picked out for old Helliborin'," Patricia stated, sounding almost downcast as she threw one of each selection pack into her basket which, by the time they found themselves at the checkout, was piled high with different frozen snacks, crisps, chocolate and cakes.

They were served by a girl with brilliant red hair scragged back into a messy ponytail. She was chewing her bubblegum loudly as she scanned each item until finally she turned to the two teachers and said, "That'll be one hundred and nineteen pounds and twenty six pence."

Patricia's jaw nearly hit the checkout, "One hundred and nineteen quid?! Ye bloody jokin'! Ye must've scanned summet twice."

Chantelle, the shop assistant, invited Patricia and Davina round to look at her screen. It was all correct. Davina and Patricia shared a look.

"Well we were only given fifty quid by Amelia. What're we gonna do?" Patricia tensed her jaw in her worry, "We cannet pay for it. I only have twenty quid of me own money on es."

Davina pulled out her purse. In one section sat Amelia's fifty pounds; two twenty pound notes and a crisp ten pound note. On the other side there was, "a button, a bit of fluff, a dried sherbet lemon and... ooh! Another fifty pounds!" Davina squeaked, pulling out her and Amelia's money. She gave Patricia a look as if to say, "Well get your money out!" and she did, after some arguing, and soon they left the supermarket with their arms full of shopping bags.

"I don't see why I needed to pay for all that when it's for that borin' bastard." Patricia said as she popped the boot open.

"You only paid for twenty pounds worth of food. It's not like you had to put a lot of your own money into it like I did," Davina replied, piling her bags into the boot and then closing it.

They climbed into the car. Patricia turned the engine over, pushed the gear-stick into reverse and with a stomach churning crunch, the car stayed in exactly the same place.

"What's that?" Davina asked, noticing the yellow sticker on the windscreen. She wound the window down and plucked it out from under the window wiper, " _Parking Notice Enclosed_." She read and then passed it to Patricia.

"Oh shit..." She said, putting her head in her hands as she opened up the yellow pouch.

X

Back at the school Edith was being observed by Constance while she had her first years practice scenes from one of her favourite plays by William Shakespeare – MacBeth (or as she called it "The Scottish Play".)

"We're thinking about performing this for the Grand Wizard, Constance. What do you think?" Edith asked after briefing Constance on the scene she was practising with her students.

Constance rolled her eyes, "It is related to the stigma that surrounds witchcraft, yes, but in no way is it related to actual magic, Miss Greene." She stated, "It is a medieval-"

"Shakespearean," Edith corrected her, tucking a strand of wavy blonde hair behind her ear.

"Shakespearean then, either way it is an outdated ideology where all witches are portrayed as wicked."

"Oh just watch it, Miss Hardbroom. Please?" Edith pleaded, widening her eyes. Constance sighed deeply as Edith smiled, "Right girls. Into position!"

One girl stood behind a large drum, two others were standing behind her. The other three girls were standing over a damaged cauldron taken from the store room, obviously being the three witches.

The drum echoed through the classroom and the two girls standing beside the drum made rushing noises like thunder. Edith nodded to "The Three Witches" and they acted out the legendary scene, cawing out their lines in strained, hag-like voices.

"Eye of newt and toe of frog!" One girl shrieked, "Wool of bat and tongue of dog," she pretended to stir the cauldron.

Once the "hurlyburly" was done and "The Witches Brew" had been bubbled, Edith turned to Constance.

"Well what do you think?" She asked hopefully.

Constance pursed her lips, "Very well acted, girls. Your knowledge of Mac- The Scottish Play is incredibly vast. However I stand by my comment of it being wholly inappropriate to showcase to The Grand Wizard. Perhaps a classical chant or a broomstick formation would be better suited to his tastes?"

Edith slouched in her chair, looking glum, "I think he'd enjoy this but if you insist."

Constance turned on her heels and left the classroom to visit Amelia who was preparing her speech. She often gave a speech whenever The Grand Wizard visited the school so it seemed appropriate. She passed her draft to Constance who read it and passed it back approvingly.

"Amelia I must ask about the deputy headmistress applicants and-"

"They're still ongoing and you are still being considered, Constance." She added, noticing the look on the younger woman's face.

"Well how soon will I know if I've been successful or... unsuccessful?" She asked, staring at Amelia intently.

"When I am ready- Ah that will be Davina and Patricia back." Amelia said brightly, trying to move the topic of conversation to something else as she heard the front door open with a thud followed by some loud cursing and a rough Geordie accent coming down the corridor.

The door opened with a crash as Patricia and Davina carried piles upon piles of food into the office.

"What happened?" Constance asked sharply, "Why haven't you got any bags?"

Patricia sat down with a dramatic sigh, "The bags split and the car's been towed. We had to walk all the way back from the supermarket."

Amelia shot up, "TOWED?!" She bellowed angrily, even making Constance jump in shock, "I trusted you with that car and you got it towed?!"

Davina scrambled into a chair, "It was all Trish. She parked in a disabled bay."

Patricia shot Davina an icy glare, "Well if you hadn't insisted on puttin' all them cakes in the basket we would've been out before we got clamped-"

"You went after the free samples!" Davina screeched, getting to her feet and standing over Patricia.

"I didn't argue with the bloody traffic warden though did I?!"

"No you just faked a limp!"

"At least I thought about double baggin'. But oh no, you said it would be wasteful!" Patricia gasped as she sat down, fanning herself. Her face had gone bright red and there was a sheen appearing on her cheeks.

Despite this the pair continued to squabble until Constance stood up, towering over everyone in the room. "QUIET!" she bellowed and the room fell silent at once, "Now Davina, I want you to take this food down to Mrs Tapioca immediately. Patricia, you should go and take a bath and cool yourself down. Amelia and I need to prepare for the Grand Wizard, if you have forgotten. Now everybody out!"

Patricia stuck her tongue out at Davina as she marched off to her room and Davina bundled as much food as she could into her arms and took it down to the kitchens for Mrs Tapioca to cook.

After tempers had been cooled and food had been prepared the staff and the students waited in the entrance hall, staring expectantly at the heavy wooden door that was bound to open at any moment. Constance peered at Davina. Was she wearing... mascara?

"Goodness", Constance thought, "the lengths people will go to to impress others."

Edith had insisted on showing the Grand Wizard her first years' performance of The Scottish Play. She had spoken to Amelia about it who seemed quite happy about showing it to the Grand Wizard and the English teacher was, at that very moment, warming up with the girls in the great hall.

As Constance was about to lean down and ask Amelia what was taking the Grand Wizard so long the door flew open revealing a brilliant white swirling light. Like a gust of snow, a twinkling light drifted into the entrance hall and formed a shape which, with a flash of purple smoke, transformed into Egbert Hellibore. He was a tall wizard with a long grey beard and long velvet robes that trailed on the floor as he walked. His staff, which was grasped tightly in his hand, was topped with a deep blue crystal.

"Good afternoon, ladies!" He boomed, gazing at the girls. His long beard was tucked into his belt as he handed his staff to Amelia, saying, "Put that somewhere, Madam, so we can enjoy the festivities."

Amelia blinked, looking at Constance who took the staff from her. She noted that it was warm to the touch as she placed it in the stationary cupboard in the staff room.

"It is an honour to have you back at our school, Your Honour." Amelia called after the Grand Wizard as he patrolled to the great hall, "But I must ask - what is the reason for your visit?"

The Grand Wizard gave a slimy smile, "To celebrate me, of course. It is after all my birthday."

Patricia scoffed as she stood behind Amelia, rolling her eyes, "Celebrate him, my arse," she muttered into Amelia's ear, "The only thing I'll be celebratin' is when he clears off, borin' old fart."

Amelia smirked slightly as Constance had joined onto the back of the queue. She couldn't help rolling her eyes as she heard Hellibore's comment. Her ears pricked up slightly however as she could hear something that didn't sound like first years rehearsing for a performance coming from the great hall.

She folded her arms over her chest and with a very soft pop she was standing in the hall, in her invisible state, to see that Edith was having her students perform a peculiar tribal dance. They waved their arms over their heads and span in circles to the almost Celtic sounding piece that was being played on Edith's boombox.

"Sail away, sail away, sail away!" The students chorused as Constance moved silently around them towards the infernal contraption. She pressed a button on the top and the music stopped abruptly. Edith looked around in wonder, like a deer caught in headlights, as she stared at the spot where Constance was standing invisibly.

She approached to restart the music but with a whooshing noise Constance appeared, making her leap out of her skin.

"Preparing the girls for their performance of the play are we, Miss Greene?" She sneered, watching Edith who was holding her chest as though she was having a panic attack.

"Constance," She chuckled slightly, steadying herself, "Miss Hardbroom, I forgot about the... The appearing thing."

Constance narrowed her eyes, "Perhaps you should get the girls into position so the festivities can begin?"

Edith nodded, following orders as she asked the girls to hide behind a piece of scenery that had been used in the school's Christmas pantomime; a picture of green pasture and a brilliant blue sky.

"This isn't suitable for the scene is it?" Constance asked flatly, "Blue sky and green pasture? The scene takes place at night during a thunder storm doesn't it?"

Edith raised an eyebrow as she appeared from behind the scenery. She looked up at the sheet of cardboard and snorted, "Oh well. It's a different take on it I guess."

"How can you be so relaxed when the Grand Wizard-"

The great hall doors opened and the students entered in a tidal wave of black and purple and the Grand Wizard approached the stage.

"Ah hello," He smiled, staring a great deal below Edith's eyeline as he greeted her, "You must be the lovely Miss Glen I've heard so much about?"

"Greene," Edith corrected him, "It's an honour to meet you, Your Honour," she cleared her throat, "But my eyes are up here."

Constance bit her bottom lip, repressing a laugh as she saw the expression on the Grand Wizard's face. He knew he had been put in his place. Constance allowed herself a little smirk as she went to her seat at the side of the platform beside Amelia who was gazing intently at the backdrop that Edith picked out. Davina and Patricia had returned from their errands and were now back to being best friends again. They were sat together laughing and joking as though nothing had happened to affect their relationship.

The Grand Wizard stepped to one side to watch as the first years thundered out from behind the set and with a great crashing of drums the performance began. Smoke billowed out from the cauldron (engineered by the girls themselves under the supervision of the staff) and the girls circled it, reciting the lines from the famous scene as the drum thundered on. The scene was soon over and the hall rang with applause as the first year class took a bow together. Edith stood up, her arms stretched out in front of her as she clapped enthusiastically, a wide smile on her golden face.

The first years took their seats and Grand Wizard Hellibore took to the stage, standing in front of the still smoking cauldron as he spoke, "I am very happy to be back at Cackle's Academy and to see such talented young witches acting out one of my favourite scenes from Hamlet," at that, Edith's face flushed with rage and the rest of the staff cringed, "How wonderfully choreographed and the music was perfect. A masterful use of magic and mystery. Well done Miss Greene for directing that. Now..."

There was an ominous creaking sound from behind the piece of cardboard scenery and with a rush of rope against metal and a snapping sound, the scenery fell forwards hitting the Grand Wizard and the cauldron. The cauldron spilled the potion all over the platform which turned black and began to foam and the Grand Wizard felt for his hat which was now crumpled like a concertina on top of his head.

The students laughed loudly at the dazed look on his face as he pulled off his hat. There was another roar of merriment as beneath the hat sat a gleaming bald patch. Constance looked at Amelia, who was shaking in her attempt to hold back her laughter but across from them Davina and Patricia didn't attempt to hide their giggling. They were rolling around in their seats howling, tears streaming down their faces. Edith's face was lit with flame as she marched out of the great hall and into the cold corridor to clear her head.

With a flick of her fingers Constance repaired the scenery and the wizard's hat, though the red mark on his forehead would most likely bruise.

"Not to worry Miss Hardbroom. It can't be helped," he said brightly as he was led to the staff room to collect his staff after the small dinner party following his speech, "You don't think it was set up do you?"

Constance frowned, "Of course not, Your Honour. No one would wish any harm on you," She said, though really at that very moment she actually felt like punching him. She repressed this urge however and escorted him out of the school and she returned to the hall.

"You all did very well girls," Amelia announced, "Now if you could help Mrs Tapioca clear up the plates and cutlery it would be appreciated."

Constance could see Edith, who had returned to the hall for the party food, sulking by herself as students passed by her. She was sat cross-legged on the platform, her blonde hair flopping over her face.

"He's ignorant, Edith. Don't let him get under your skin." Constance said almost pleasantly.

Edith looked up at her, brushing her hair out of her hazel eyes that were twinkling slightly as she gave a meek smile, "Thank you. He annoyed me a bit saying what he did. And he is such a slime ball!"

Constance nodded. She knew fine well that the Grand Wizard was as greasy as they come. She cleared her throat, "Are you going to help everyone clean up or are you just going to sulk all day?"

Edith smirked, standing up, "Yes Miss Hardbroom. Reporting for duty," She said in a mock-militarian voice.

Constance rolled her eyes as she took a large pile of plates from Davina and took them down to the kitchens. The chanting mistress remained in the hall, rocking her arms gently as now she didn't know quite what to do with herself.

Amelia approached her, "So how are you going to get _my_ car back?" She asked, "I hope you aren't just going to let the tow company keep it."

Patricia intervened, "Oh no, Amelia. Don't worry. We just need five hundred pound and we can get the car back."

Amelia furrowed her brow as she handed her pile of plates to Davina and went to her office. She was back moments later with an envelope stuffed with brilliantly pink fifty pound notes, "That should be enough in there. We rely on that car for emergencies that may happen at the school. I don't want you two to forget that. Now off you go. Take your broomsticks and I expect you back in a couple of hours," she took her plates back from Davina and passed her the envelope as she followed Constance's footsteps down to the kitchens.

Davina and Patricia shared a look as they set off to collect the car. They went on Davina's broomstick (she was a much better flier than Patricia) and arrived soon after at the large area filled with cars. There was a machine at the end of the closed off parking lot that was picking up cars and throwing them into a mechanism that was spitting them out as perfect cubes.

"Shit we better get this done quickly." Patricia said nervously, taking the envelope from Davina who waited outside of the wrought iron gates with her broomstick, looking quite bizarre to the passers by who weren't expecting to see a frizzy haired woman dressed all in black holding a broomstick.

Patricia took her time bartering with the owner and about half an hour later she sped out of the gates driving he Cackle Mobile with a wad of fifty pound notes grasped tightly in her hands.

"How did you manage that?" Davina asked as she threw her broomstick into the back of the car, "How come you still have all of the money?"

Patricia winked at her friend, "Let's just say I gave him summet that made him change his mind about chargin' es all that money." She smiled to herself, "Howay. Let's get back to work and tell Amelia the good news."

Davina fastened her seatbelt and turned the radio up as they drove off down the motorway back towards the school.

* * *

 _ **A/N: Thank you so much for reading this chapter. I hope you enjoyed!**_

 _ **OTP Prompts: Imagine your OTP taking test tasters from a supermarket and coming back for more until the person manning the table scolds them and curses them away.**_


	5. What's The Surprise?

It was exam season again – midterms to be exact – and the third year class was busy preparing in the library with Davina. They were meant to be doing silent revision but silent to Miss Davina Bat was never quite up to the usual standard. There was a dull humming of voices as Constance appeared out of thin air beside the tiny chanting mistress who leapt out of her skin.

The students fell silent at once at the sight of the formidable Miss Hardbroom and returned their whole attention to their studies. Constance tapped Davina on the shoulder and asked her to follow her out to the corridor for a private word.

"I'm wanting to test the third years on the elixir of life potion – the stronger one in _Year Three Spell Sessions_. It's in a section all about growth towards the back. Could you have the girls study that? They will be practising it in their class with me this afternoon."

Davina nodded, returning to the library. Constance's eyes narrowed as she walked down the corridor, vanishing into thin air as she moved and she appeared again walking towards Amelia's office. She tapped on the door lightly and the headmistress' voice echoed softly from behind it.

"Come in," she called. Constance put her head around the door, "Ah. Hello Constance. Why don't you sit down?"

Constance obliged, taking her usual seat opposite the headmistress and sitting in her perfectly upright position.

Amelia cleared her throat, "I'm glad you came to see me, Constance, as there is something I would like to tell you. As you know I've been looking through the applications for the new deputy headmistress and sadly there have been very few applicants with any real merit. I was lucky to have inherited Millicent but since her retirement you have been so helpful in picking up her tasks and acting as my unofficial second-in-command.

"For this reason I have shortlisted you for the deputy role. The other three applicants; Mrs Sycamore, Miss Cygnus and Miss Skylark have all been informed as well. I hope for you to sit in on the final interviews with the other applicants and to remain impartial. I know how you feel about this role," Amelia lowered eyes, "And I expect you to remain professional throughout this process."

Constance's heart skipped in her chest. She felt like she could do cartwheels, but she remained seated, maintaining her composure, "Thank you Headmistress."

Amelia smiled sweetly, "Now why did you come to see me?"

"Ah yes, well," she began, "The third year mock exam revision classes are taking place this week and I am wanting to perform practical demonstrations instead of text book work," she took a deep breath and continued, "Would that be okay or would you like all of the revision classes to be as you requested?"

Amelia pushed her glasses up her head, "Of course. I will trust your judgement on this. If you feel that the girls will benefit more from a demonstration rather than copying from text books then they can do that. And Constance," She added as Constance got up to leave, "Thank you for being so patient about the whole process with the deputy head post."

Constance closed the door as she left the office, wondering if Amelia could read her mind as she walked down the corridor. The bell for the change of lessons rang and Constance was on her way to the staff room for her free period just as she collided with a bundle of woollen shawls and scarves.

"Oh, hello Miss Hardbroom," Edith croaked. She had caught a cold from one of the girls and was wrapped in an uncharacteristic woolly jumper and cloaked in different coloured shawls and a thick woollen scarf. It was bizarre to see the English teacher without her floaty kaftan and floral skirt. Her long blonde hair had been pulled back into a top knot. That morning she just couldn't be bothered messing about trying to make her hair look presentable.

"Oh dear. You look terrible." Constance commented, seeing the dark circles and unfamiliar pallor on Edith's face, "Get yourself to bed at once and get some rest. I can cover your next class," she took Edith's books from her and marched to the English classroom. Edith stood there in the corridor, looking back at Constance, a warm smile on her face as she shuffled weakly up to her bedroom for a well deserved nap.

The third years groaned as Constance entered the classroom. They were looking forward to a fun lesson with the lovely Miss Greene and to be given Miss Hardbroom in exchange seemed very unfair to the girls who got out their exercise books and text books and waited for their command.

Constance looked briefly over Edith's lesson plan, squinting as the some of the writing appeared quite unclear. The girls were set to have a lesson on creative writing.

" _Write a story about something that scares you_... Very well," Constance muttered to herself and she put down the lesson plan and looked up at the class, "Miss Greene isn't very well at the moment so I've persuaded her to have some rest. I'll obviously be covering this class and today I believe you are meant to be doing some creative writing." The girls nodded, "Right, well. Miss Greene has said that she wants you to write about something that scares you, for whatever reason, so you may begin girls."

The girls pulled out their pens and began writing in their exercise books, jotting down ideas and then building on them until finally they had a fleshed out concept.

Amanda Honeydew raised her hand, "Miss Hardbroom," she said, "Miss Greene always writes a story too. Why are you just reading?"

Constance raised a thin eyebrow, peering over her book (which happened to be the book club's book of the week - _The Catcher and the Rye_ ) and looking at Amanda with her piercing eyes, "Because, Amanda, nothing does scare me," and she returned to her book. What she said was half true. She was battle-worn from years of fighting against her old tutor, the memories that still haunted her even to this day, but they made her stronger and more resilient. She had to admit, however, that the thought of coming face to face with Her again was quite terrifying.

After pens had been placed back on desks the girls read out their stories one at a time. Some were fantastic, others left a lot to be desired. Amanda Honeydew's was particularly interesting as she was scared of losing her ability to sing. Her favourite subject was chanting and according to her development plan she wanted to become a singer; a childish fantasy to Constance but to the fourteen year old Amanda it was entirely plausible.

The bell for lunchtime rang and Edith opened the door with her cat, Gaia, wrapped around her shoulders like a fluffy cream shawl. The girls cheered at the sight of her. She looked healthier after her rest and had attempted to put on a little bit of makeup.

"You're with me after lunch, girls," Constance called after them as they filed out of the classroom, "In the potions lab at two o'clock!"

Edith approached the desk, "Thank you for doing that for me. I really do appreciate it. That's the kindest thing anyone has ever-"

Constance raised a hand, "It's not a problem. You won't be of any use to the girls while they're revising if you can barely hold your own weight. Are you feeling better?"

Edith nodded, "Yes. Much better. And my appetite's back. Come on. Let's get some lunch. I hear Mrs Tapioca has made butternut squash risotto. My favourite!" She hooked her arm through Constance's who froze, staring blankly at the younger witch, "What's the matter?"

Constance blinked as she pulled her arm out from Edith's grasp, "I wasn't trying to be your friend, Miss Greene. I was doing what was best for the school. Now if you'll excuse me I have some paperwork to complete in the staff room," and she folded her arms and appeared in the staff room right behind Davina who yelped, scurrying into the cupboard leaving Patricia, who had been sat beside her, laughing loudly.

She rolled her eyes as she sat down and with a zap of her fingers a mountain of paperwork was in front of her.

Patricia calmed her laughter as she sipped her green tea (she had read somewhere that it can help with hot flashes) and she looked at Constance who seemed tetchier than usual.

"What's the matter, flower?" She asked, trying to peer over the pile of paper, "Ye've not had a barney with Amelia again have ye?" She was of course referring to the little falling out at the beginning of the school term.

"No." Constance said coolly, "I'm just wanting to get this paperwork done if you don't mind, Miss Gimlet." She had taken a lot of paperwork that wasn't even hers to do, she just wanted to remain occupied.

Patricia sat back down with a little grumble and she proceeded to flick through her magazine, "Who's on lunch duty?" She asked finally.

Constance looked up over her already shrunken pile of books, "I believe Davina is meant to be on duty with Edith."

The stationary cupboard door creaked open revealing Davina with an apologetic smile on her face. She scampered off towards the great hall and joined Edith in serving the girls. Edith didn't mind Davina being late. She had the girls well trained and as they had a generous hour and a half lunch break they had plenty of time to wait and queue up for their food. Gaia was busying herself wrapping around Edith's ankles as she heaped piles of risotto onto the girls' plates.

"Ugh, potions with Hardbitch after this. Give me strength!" Jasmine Spellbinder grumbled to Amanda as she took a serving of the food that Edith was serving.

Edith frowned, "Now girls, I don't think Miss Hardbroom would be too pleased if she heard you being so nasty," She passed Jasmine her plate, "I want you to be on your best behaviour for her. She's not that bad really and she deserves your respect."

Amanda smirked, "You don't know her as well as we do, Miss Greene," she took her plate, "She's a grumpy old windbag if you ask me."

Edith turned to Davina who was helping herself to the risotto. She tried to speak but sent grains of rice flying everywhere, "Jus' tast'n it!"

With a little chuckle, Edith passed Davina a glass of water before she returned to serving the girls' dinners.

Back in the staff room Amelia was pouring herself a glass of lemonade as she ate a cream slice, much to the displeasure of Constance who was sneering at it from over her nearly complete pile of marking.

"...The fourth years aren't enjoying the preparation for their WHC tests. Three of the girls have been sent to the sick bay with nervous exhaustion. That's nearly half of the class." Amelia stated as she ate her cream slice, "It's not right. Why must the girls become so stressed out over their exams?"

Constance sighed, "Because, Headmistress, the girls are absorbing so much information and don't know how to handle it. Perhaps what they need is to develop some discipline towards their studies. Goodness knows how they'll cope if they go to a training college like I did."

Patricia piped up, "What they probably need is somethin' to help take their minds off revision. They need to remember that they're teenage girls – let them have a party or somethin'."

"And let them think it's okay to behave like cavemen? No, Patricia we will not-"

"Quiet, both of you!" Amelia snapped, rubbing her temples, "It's bad enough having to listen to the girls bickering without hearing this."

Constance pursed her lips and finished the last of her marking, her pen scratching loudly against the page as Patricia slurped her tea.

The door burst open revealing Edith and Davina, "Miss Cackle! There's a fight going on in the great hall!" Constance noted that Edith had a chunk of risotto in her hair.

"A food fight?" Patricia asked, "Or an actual fight?"

Davina pointed at the splashes of risotto on the pair of them, "Isn't it obvious it's a food fight?"

Amelia placed a staying hand on Patricia's arm as she appeared to be wanting to join the activities.

Constance rolled her eyes and with a whoosh of air she appeared in the great hall just as a fistful of risotto flew in her direction, hitting her squarely in the nose with a doom-laden squelch.

"WILL YOU CONTROL YOURSELVES GIRLS?!" She erupted and the girls fell silent at once, not one pupil daring to laugh at the sight of the terrifying Miss Hardbroom standing there with a chunk of soggy risotto dripping from the tip of her nose, "Have some dignity. You're not hooligans, you are grown up witches and it's time you started acting like it. From the whole school," There was a collective sigh amongst the girls, "I expect a ten-thousand word essay from each of you entitled _How To Maintain The Standards Expected Of Me At Miss Cackle's Academy_. Anyone who does not hand in this essay by tomorrow afternoon will be in detention with me for the rest of the term."

There was a resounding "Yes, Miss Hardbroom" as the girls finished what little food had remained on their plates and then proceeded to help tidy up the mess they had made.

After lunch was over and everyone had been cleaned up the third years had their potions class with Constance. The girls were on their best behaviour... mostly. Amanda Honeydew was busy playing with a games console on her workbench just as Constance entered the lab.

"What have I told you about those infernal contraptions?" She seethed, zapping the Gameboy into thin air, much to the displeasure of Amanda who sighed dramatically and folded her arms across her chest, "You can collect it from me at the end of the term."

Constance cleared her throat as she sat down, tidying the books on her desk, and then she looked up at her students, "As Miss Bat should have told you after I paid you a visit in the library, today we will be studying advanced elixirs. If you could all turn to page two-hundred-and-forty-three in your text books – _Year Three Spell Sessions_ , Amanda – and complete that potion. You have all of the ingredients you need set out in front of you," she grabbed her stopwatch and reset it with a sly smile, "Begin when you are ready."

And with a bustling noise the girls set to work, taking different potions ingredients and grinding them up, casting them into their cauldrons as they discussed their work with each other.

"Miss," Amanda piped up, "Is the potion meant to be fizzing like that?" She sounded alarmed as she stared at the brilliantly scarlet potion that was beginning to bubble and froth over the edges of her cauldron. Constance leapt up at once but alas, she was too late.

The potion erupted up towards the ceiling like a geyser and spilled across the desk and the floor. It forced its way through the ceiling and up through the school roof sending chunks of floorboards and plaster everywhere. The bench began to shake and with an ominous creaking fully formed tree branches erupted from both the ceiling and the workbench. Constance ushered the pupils out quickly, into the corridor where she closed the door firmly and turned, wide eyed, to look at Amanda who looked just as shocked as the rest of the students.

"Do you realise what you've done?!" Constance snapped, "You've destroyed half of the school, Amanda Honeydew!"

Amanda looked at the floor sheepishly, "I may have put in a few too many lacewing flies."

"Too many?! How many could you have possibly put in?! The instructions say three!" Constance cried wildly just as Patricia rushed around the corner.

"I was on the bog and a tree came up through the bath tub. What the 'ell's- Hello girls!" She altered her tone abruptly, realising the students were there.

Constance explained to Patricia what exactly had happened and she laughed loudly at how ridiculous the whole situation was, though Constance was less than impressed with her reaction. After Amelia had been informed they called Frank Blossom, the school grounds keeper and janitor, and asked for his verdict on the situation.

Thankfully the potion had stopped working and the growth of the trees in both the potions lab and the school had stopped, though the school itself now appeared to be dominated by trails of ivy and broken tree branches from where students and teachers alike had fought their way to safety. According to Frank there had been no permanent damage done to the potions lab, however they would need to make a new bench and repair some of the floorboards (using the wood from the trees that had grown through the school). The damage done to the rest of the school would take considerably longer to repair.

"How long exactly, Frank?" Amelia asked as she poured herself a cup of ginger tea.

Frank sighed, rubbing his bald patch, "Probably a week, maybe two. I d'nno where ye goin' to have ye lessons. And where ye g'nna sleep is beyond me! The staircase up t'wards all the bedrooms is completely knackered."

Amelia looked to her staff who were all holding onto their cups of tea, looking wide eyed.

"What do you suggest, Constance?" She asked with a meek smile.

Constance looked to Frank, "Is the great hall still safe?" He nodded, "In which case we shall use the great hall for all of our lessons and perhaps as a temporary place to sleep."

Edith straightened her back, "You mean camp in the great hall?"

Constance nodded, "Of course. It's the only logical solution, unless you wish to catch pneumonia by sleeping outside in the cold, Miss Greene, though it is entirely your decision if you wish to do that."

Amelia twisted her mouth, "Very well then. Sleeping in the great hall it is. We will need to salvage any blankets and what have you from the rooms and use them. I don't believe we have any sleeping bags in the store room."

Patricia offered to take a look and she and Edith walked to the store room together to see if they did indeed have any sleeping bags. In all honesty, Edith just wanted to have a few minutes to clear her head as she seemed, for whatever reason, to have rubbed Constance up the wrong way again.

"Honestly, just ignore her," Patricia explained as she pushed tables and chairs out of the way to see if she could find anything, "She's not worth the grief. If she wants to snap the olive branch you're passin' to her then let her get on with it."

Edith stood leaning in the doorway, her arms folded across her chest, "I know but I just... I want to be on good terms with everyone here. I'm not used to the animosity."

"The ani-what?" Patricia's voice came from somewhere near the back of the circular room.

"Negativity, Trish!" Edith called just as Patricia emerged with a box filled with bags of sleeping bags.

"Let's get a wriggle on, we best get back to the staff room." And they carried the heavy box together, placing it just outside of the staff room door, "Listen," Patricia's usually joyous smile was replaced with a foreign expression – she looked almost stern, "She's a funny old stick. Just let her get on with whatever she wants to get on with and enjoy the friends you do have here." She rubbed a warm hand on Edith's shawl clad shoulder.

She gave a gentle smile, "Thanks Trish," and the door opened revealing the person they had been talking about.

Constance's eyes narrowed as she walked past the pair and towards the great hall where the students were waiting to find out what was happening. Some of the girls were hoping to be sent home, or sent to another school while the academy was being repaired (most of the girls were hoping to be sent to Pentangle's). Their hopes were shot down however when Constance presented them with the news that they'd be camping on the cold hall floor for the next week or so.

That evening everyone seemed to be rather annoyed with Amanda Honeydew, who had been particularly quiet and not her usually loud and bubbly self. She was staying close to her friend, Jasmine, and they had been stuck to each other like glue since the incident in the potions lab.

Over dinner, which had been ordered in as the kitchens were inaccessible, Constance and Amelia sat together. Patricia had insisted on ordering curries in and her favourite, a mild and fruity curry with lamb tikka and mushrooms in the sauce, had gone down well with the girls who were enjoying the concoction of the different sauces and naan bread.

"So what's this curry called?" Davina asked as she bit into a chunk of lamb, "It's not a korma."

Patricia swallowed a mouthful of rice and curry and had a gulp of her glass of milk, "It's called a Bengal Surprise."

Edith, who had ordered a vegetable curry, looked up from her plate, "What's the surprise?"

Patricia furrowed her brow as she mixed the rice in with her curry sauce, frowning at her food, "I dinnah actually," and she poured a plastic tub full of mint sauce on to her curry and continued to mix it all together until it resembled the risotto from lunch time. She took a mouthful and sighed, "It's tasty, like."

Edith nodded, "It smells nice. Can I have a taste of the sauce?"

Patricia passed Edith her plate and let her friend have a mouthful of the creamy sauce and she moaned slightly.

"That tastes amazing." She said as she passed Patricia her plate back, "If that didn't have lamb in I'd eat the whole thing."

"Why are you vegetarian?" Davina asked.

Edith smiled, "Well it's all because of my Mum. You see when I was growing up in foster care all I really ate was ready meals because that's all my foster parents could afford. There were five of us in the home. Anyway, I know it was only for three years but I just remember eating microwave meals day in day out, so when my Mum adopted me all she gave me was healthy fresh fruit and vegetables, beans and pulses. It just kind of stuck after that. I do eat meat very rarely, mainly when Jay's home from overseas."

Davina nodded, intrigued as she ate a mouthful of the Bengal not-such-a-Surprise, "I always wanted to be a vegetarian. I love animals and I don't like that we eat them."

Edith nodded, "I know what you mean. I mean I love animals too but my vegetarianism is more out of habit rather than a humane choice," she stated as she scraped the bottom of her bowl, "Oh, that was amazing. I could eat that again!" She pressed her hands against her flat tummy and she leant back in her chair.

It was soon bedtime and the girls and teachers were taking it in turns to get changed in the various different declared safe-zones in the castle. Constance was getting changed into her purple pyjamas in the staff room just as their was a knock at the door.

She pulled on her pyjama bottoms and opened the door.

"Oh. Sorry, Miss Hardbroom."

It was Amanda Honeydew, coming to change into her grey tunic that had been issued to all of the girls in their uniform packs.

"No, no. It's alright Amanda," Constance said quietly, "I'm on my way back to the hall," and she slipped on her slippers and walked back into the great hall, Morgana slinking behind her.

When she sat down in her sleeping bag, however, Constance realised that she hadn't taken her hair down from her bun. If she left it in overnight it would make her scalp ache in the morning, giving her a terrible headache.

She pulled out a pin from the base of the bun and began to unravel it, unfurling the long black hair as it fell to her waist in gentle waves.

Edith gawped from her own sleeping bag, "You should wear your hair down more. It looks nicer."

Constance frowned as she brushed her hair out using a hard paddled brush, "It's impractical." She examined the ends of her hair as she brushed it and, spreading it over her shoulders, she laid down, stroking Morgana's back as she arched into her hand, purring loudly.

"Can I play with your hair?" Came a voice from directly above her.

"What- No!" Constance snapped, opening her eyes to see Patricia peering down at her.

"Please?" She begged.

Constance rolled her eyes, "No matter how much you beg and however appealing that sounds, my answer will have to be a firm no."

That night Constance was lying in her sleeping bag, Morgana curled up beside her, trying to keep warm. The students, Edith and Amelia all seemed to be asleep but Constance could hear a frantic whispering from somewhere on the other side of the hall.

Constance pushed her sleeping bag from her and tip-toed around the hall, trying to find the source of the noise.

"...Blot my forehead," Came a voice, "Pass me the tweezers."

"Okay, doctor," Came an all too familiar rough voice, "How is the patient?"

"It's hard to tell." Came the first voice, "We need to remove his funny bone to be able to- Oh!"

There was a frantic buzzing noise from the area where the voices were coming from and a bright flashing red light. Constance pointed her casting fingers at a candle over by Davina and Patricia, who were bent double over a board displaying a man spread across a yellow backdrop. He had a brilliant red bulb for a nose and several spaces on his cartoon body marked with different labels.

"What on Earth are you doing?"

Patricia smiled innocently, "I couldn't sleep with these hot flashes so we decided to have a game of Operation. Do you wanna-" She was cut short as Constance zapped the board game and it disappeared in a puff of smoke. Patricia threw the tweezers on the floor and pursed her lips, "I knew she'd do that."

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 **A/N: Oh dear, well... So I hope you enjoyed this update! Next week's may go up later than expected due to personal circumstances but I will try and get it up for Saturday to keep the routine.**

 **Prompts used: Both from WondrousPrompts - "Can I play with your hair?" and "However appealing that sounds, my answer will have to be a firm no."**


	6. Ain't No Doubt

_**A/N: Firstly I must apologise if this is offensive in any way. There is a lot of double entendre in this chapter as well as references to unsafe driving, bodily functions, etc. Apart from that I hope you enjoy :D**_

* * *

A few days later Constance was awoken by the sound of synthesisers and drums. Her eyes flashed open, thinking that it was Patricia and Davina but when she looked over to them they were both fast asleep, Patricia slightly sprawled and her blonde hair sticking to her sweaty forehead.

She looked over to the window where the rays of morning sunlight were beginning to twinkle through the stained glass and saw, to her amazement, Edith sat cross-legged beside a silver boom box – the same silver boom box she had used for the girls' warm up for the Grand Wizard only a few weeks before.

"Miss Greene?" Constance called over in as soft a voice as she could muster.

Edith's eyes, that had been tight shut, opened sleepily and she smiled over at Constance. She whispered in a breathier voice than normal, "I'm sorry if I woke you, Constance. I was just meditating and listening to a bit of Enya. I hope you don't mind," and she returned to her meditating, absorbing the choral female voice that rang over the synthesiser like church bells.

Constance rolled over and tried to get back to sleep. She felt like she had only shut her eyes for a few seconds but when she opened them again she was being shook awake.

"Constance! Wake up!" It was Davina, "Wake up!"

Constance rubbed her eyes, "Whassat?" she grumbled sleepily, rubbing her forehead. She had woken up with a horrendous headache. She had overslept.

Davina sat back on her heels, "Thank goodness. You'd stopped breathing for a second, I thought- well, we-"

"Davina thought ye'd died." Patricia said flatly, "Because she thought your chest wasn't movin'. Honestly, woman. I told ye she was alreet. I could see ye chest goin' flower. I do apologise for Davina's... Well actually, just Davina."

She snorted as Davina elbowed her in the ribs.

"What time is it?" Constance asked sleepily, seeing that the girls were still fast asleep.

"It's just after seven." Davina replied, peering up at the clock above the organ, "Edith's gone for a walk in the woods and Amelia is in the staff room."

Constance pushed her hair off her shoulder, bundled up a clean dress from the overnight bag she had brought down to the great hall with her and ventured to the office to get changed before speaking to Amelia.

She touched her hair just as she stepped out of the office, "Oh." She had forgotten to tie her hair up so, returning to the hall, she grabbed her hairbrush, a hair doughnut, a bobble and some hair grips and tied up her hair, "This will have to do." She said, seeing that her hair was littered with irritating cow licks and fly-aways after her oversleeping.

"Good morning, Dear." Amelia said as Constance stepped into the staff room. The headmistress was sipping her tea and reading the morning paper, her glasses on the tip of her nose as Constance sat down beside her. She poured herself a glass of water from the jug in the centre of the table.

"Is there any post yet?" She asked, draining her glass.

Amelia shook her head as she gritted her teeth. She had burned her tongue on her tea, "No. Not yet. Edith said she'd get it on her way back from her walk. She's still feeling out of sorts apparently, a tummy bug by the sound of it."

Constance nodded and peered over at the article Amelia was reading in the paper, " _How to and why you should grow your own herb garden_? Amelia we have one already!"

She looked up at Constance and rolled her eyes, "I know but I'm seeing if there are any herbs that we don't have."

Constance smirked, "We have every herb imaginable in that herb garden. We don't need anymore."

"We don't have... Eelgrass!"

"There's a reason for that, Amelia." Constance stated, sounding faintly amused, "It's a marine plant."

Amelia leant back, looking defeated just as the staff room door opened. Edith strode into the room, her arms wrapped tightly around a bundle of envelopes and catalogues.

"There's this for you," she said, passing Amelia a sizeable pile of white envelopes, "This for you," she passed Constance a smaller, but still quite large, pile of envelopes, "And there's one here for Trish. It's handwritten," she added, looking at the neat writing on the face of the envelope, "I wonder who it's from?"

She sat down, twirling the envelope in her fingers. Constance noted that Edith had her hair up again today. There were loose curls falling around her face but the rest of it was in a messy top knot on top of her head. It resembled an incredibly unkempt bird's nest in her opinion, though it was bound to be within the boundaries of "Bohemian Chic".

"It's probably from Daniel. Just put it in front of her seat. She'll be here in a moment." Amelia gestured towards Patricia's seat in front of the stationary cupboard and Edith placed the heavy envelope on top of the place mat, "Nothing for you dear? What song was it that you were listening to while you were meditating earlier? It was beautiful."

Edith shook her head, looking glum, "I thought he would have got back to me by now. Oh, it was Caribbean Blue."

"Ah well. Well he is a long way away. He probably hasn't received your letter yet," She was of course referring to Edith's boyfriend. Amelia opened her own envelope. She whipped the letter out and gave it a swift look-over once she had pushed her glasses down from her forehead and onto her nose,"Ah. Another letter from the council inviting the school to a political debate."

Constance frowned, "The girls shouldn't be getting involved in politics like that. It will all be about people's cats going in their neighbours gardens and what have you."

Then a thought struck Edith. She shuffled forward in her chair, "I know! We should have a school council. The head girls can get some questions from the younger girls and we can answer them; questions about the school rules, lessons and life as a teacher in a boarding-"

Constance gave a mirthless laugh, "A recipe for disaster Miss Greene! Obviously you don't know the girls as well as I do. They'll be picking holes wherever they can. No, it's not happening."

Amelia, on the other hand, liked the idea, "I'm not saying yes to it, Edith, because a part of me agrees with Constance however I am willing to ask Patricia and Davina about their opinion on the matter."

She didn't have to wait long. Patricia and Davina came into the room sounding like a pair of hyenas. Patricia was cackling about something as she sat down. Once they had both calmed down Amelia asked for their opinions on Edith's idea.

"Well I don't see what harm it could do," Said Davina, "It is only an innocent political debate."

Constance was seething, her arms folded tightly over her chest as she ground her teeth. Her eyes were narrow as she spoke, "Do whatever you wish to do. I will not stand in your way. I refuse to be involved in something that will only cause anarchy amongst our pupils."

Edith looked irritated, "Are you saying the girls shouldn't be interested in politics?"

"I am saying that _our_ girls will only get ideas and start to rebel. It's asking for trouble in my opinion, Headmistress," she directed her words at Amelia rather than at Edith.

Amelia normally bit her lip when she was in two minds about something and she was, at this very moment, chewing profusely on her bottom lip.

Constance knew what Amelia was going to say before she said it.

"We'll ask the girls their opinion in morning assembly, shall we?"

At that very moment however, Patricia let out a loud squeak. All heads turned in her direction.

"Fernando's written to es. He's sayin' there's a drag show on that he's featuring in in Nottingham city centre tonight and he's given es four tickets so I can take ye's!" She then realised her mistake as she fanned only four tickets out in front of her on the table. She had grown so used to having only three colleagues that she had completely forgotten about Edith, "Oh. Right. Well this is very awkward."

Amelia gave her a kind smile, "Not to worry. Somebody has to be here to supervise the girls and it's not really my thing. You four go. Constance, you will go won't you?"

Constance's eyes widened in shock, "Oh no, Headmistress! I can't. I'm on dormitory duty tonight and I must..." She realised her excuse was flawed – there were currently no dormitories that were safe enough to check, "It isn't the kind of thing I do anyway."

"Oh please come, please!" Davina squeaked, "It would be so much fun."

She rolled her eyes, "Alright. If I must." The thought of going to a nightclub, let alone a drag show that would be so vivacious and loud seemed completely the wrong kind of place for Constance but she couldn't see much point in putting up much more of a fight. Amelia would only force her out of the door when everyone was leaving anyway.

"Ye might enjoy it. I've always had fun when I've seen Fernando live. He lip syncs to Gloria Gaynor."

"You mean the 'I Will Survive' song?" Edith chuckled.

Patricia nodded, "It's very funny what he does. His drag name's Emma Royd."

At this point even Constance had to let out an uncharacteristically girlish giggle as everyone in the staff room erupted with laughter.

Through her laughter Patricia continued, "And his drag mother is someone called... called," she was visibly shaking at this point, spluttering her words, "Tess Tickle!"

Davina and Edith roared with laughter, "That's amazing!" Edith laughed, wiping beneath her eyes. She sighed, settling herself.

Davina was still chuckling to herself as Patricia went into the details of baking concealer (something she had adapted into her own beauty routine), padding, tucking and "reading the audience."

"What's that?" Davina asked.

Patricia straightened in her chair, going full-teacher-mode as she explained, "Basically the drag queen goes around the audience and picks out people's flaws that could be comical. So if I was to read Constance," she shuffled in her chair and was greeted by Constance's icy gaze, "I would say... Are you on the way to an S&M convention or are you wearin' that leather dress because it wipes clean?"

Constance rolled her eyes again as Davina laughed, though she shot Davina her most menacing glare and she quelled her laughter at once. The chanting mistress appeared to be wanting to go into her favourite hiding place – inside the stationary cupboard. Edith placed a staying hand on Davina's arm.

The school bell rang before Patricia could attempt another "reading" and they all took off to their lessons. Edith stated that she had another book club meeting with the second years for their first lesson.

"Constance," Amelia said just as Constance got up from her seat, "I was wondering, as you have a free lesson at the moment, if you could sit in on a lesson for me?"

"Davina's or Patricia's?" Constance enquired gloomily. She had been looking forward to doing a spot of reading, but she wouldn't tell Amelia that, "I do have homework to be marking."

"Or the book club. They are all being held in the great hall after all." Amelia said brightly, "Please, Constance. You would be doing me a favour if you sat in on one of them."

Constance sighed, "If you insist I'll sit in on Patricia's lesson with the fourth years."

In all honesty Constance would much rather have told the truth in this instance as when she arrived back at the great hall (which was being used for lessons after everybody's belongings had been pushed to one side) she realised that the whole lesson was going to be an absolute shambles.

Not only had Patricia not developed a lesson plan, she had three different kinds of fans to keep her cool; one that was long and pillar like and was rotating in the students' direction as well as hers, one was a handheld battery powered mini fan and the last one was a classic Georgian style fan, though the latter didn't appear to be aiding in keeping Patricia cool at all.

To add to this, on the other side of the hall Davina's chanting class was taking place and every now and then there would be an eruption of hellish sound and a thundering sound on the harmonium. Edith and the book club were quietly sat in a circle, apparently unaware of the cacophony of incoherent chanting going on beside them as they discussed this week's book _The Wonderful Wizard of Oz_.

"Perhaps you should try leaving the door open?" Constance suggested, though Patricia's students cried out. They were already frozen solid by the gusts of ice cold air from the fans, an open window may have turned them all into tiny icebergs.

Patricia was stood over one student, dripping with sweat as she helped her bend the metal wire for an earring, "No, no. I'm fine. I just need a minute."

"If you stand over poor Dawn much longer she'll drown in your sweat," the girls laughed at Constance's comment, not expecting such a witticism from the strictest teacher in the school. Constance came as close to Patricia as she dared. Her face was nearly fuchsia and was shining in the morning sunlight streaming in from the window, "I'm sure Miss Cackle won't mind you taking time off for _this_ lesson. I'm sure this can't be that hard to teach."

Patricia nodded meekly, "Fine. Well all we're deein' is finishin' off the projects that weren't finished last year. They were put in the storage cupboard ye see so we can get crackin' with them. Help the girls where they need help but apart from that it's a piece of-" Patricia usually swore in front of the students but no one other than Davina knew that. She nearly slipped up before she corrected herself, "A piece of cake." And she trundled out of the hall no doubt to dive head first into an ice cold bath and take the opportunity to try something Davina had cooked up for her the night before while they were waiting for the girls to get ready for bed.

" _Onion juice?" Patricia had cried, wiggling the test tube filled with a peculiar black ooze between her fingers._

" _And garlic. It clears up all of my ailments in no time at all. It's been proven by the Grand Witch herself to improve menopause symptoms too." Davina said, sounding for a brief moment that she actually knew what she was talking about._

Constance positioned herself, for the second time that week, behind another teacher's desk, albeit a makeshift one. The students ceased their chattering abruptly as they saw that Miss Hardbroom would be teaching them. She shuffled the magazines on the desk, picking up an empty Freddo wrapper and putting it in the bin in the corner of the room.

"Absolute slovenliness," She muttered as the girls continued with their work and she threw away a number of "confiscated" empty crisp packets and sweet wrappers, not to mention stone-cold, mouldy cups of tea that had been left in drawers for who knew how long. She picked up a half eaten packet of cheese and onion crisps, "Best before... 1987," she gagged slightly as she caught a whiff of what was inside the packet.

A hand shot up.

"Yes?"

"I'm having problems tying this knot in the thread for my bracelet. Tr- Miss Gimlet always helps me with this."

Constance quite happily got out of the chair, wishing she had never taken on the task of clearing out the spare desk. It was quite a simple knot really but Constance helped anyway, simply to get away from the scent of putrefying rubbish. Soon she was sat back down behind the desk as Davina wandered over from her chanting lesson across the hall to have a look through the mountain of magazines on the desk.

"Miss Bat, what exactly are you trying to do here?" Constance snapped, slapping a bony hand on top of the still wriggling pile of magazines that were probably just as out of date as the rotten food that was being thrown into the bin.

"She has a magazine with a really interesting article about choral singing," At this comment Constance sighed irritably, "And she said when I was planning this lesson that I could borrow it. Well she never brought it over for me so I presume it's still in this pile."

Pushing aside Vanity Fairs from years gone by, Davina finally found a few magazines that could potentially be relevant.

"You aren't using these are you- Ooh! Can I have that?" And without another word, as Constance was finishing up clearing out the drawers, Davina snatched the half eaten Curly-Wurly out of Constance's grasp and began to eat it. Constance tried to stop her but, too late. She walked back to her own class with the two year out-of-date chocolate bar in her mouth and a batch of most likely irrelevant magazines tight in her grasp.

Eventually the lesson was over and Edith was working opposite Constance. She had an English lesson with the first years and Constance had a tutor group lesson with the second years. Patricia had been pencilled in to do this lesson (as Constance had quite a bit of marking to be getting on with) but she had not returned from her ice bath leaving the younger witch once again in the lurch.

Davina's attempts at teaching Mongolian Undertone Chanting to her class were positively horrific as the sheer volume of the choirs combined voices shrieking so loudly and so continuously that they made pens and pencils fall from desks and Edith, at one point, had to stop her class for health and safety reasons.

Eventually Patricia returned in her dressing gown and a towel around her head, false eyelashes glued to her eyelids.

"What are you doing?" Constance sneered when she noticed from the corner of her eye that Patricia had started painting her fingernails.

"I'm gettin' ready for tonight aren't I? Honestly yeh'd think ye hadn't been invited." And she returned to smoothing down the coral coloured nail varnish she had picked out, "Do ye think this'll go with a turquoise dress?"

Constance ground her teeth, "I think it would look best with a smart dress and dry hair. Compose yourself, Miss Gimlet!"

"Well I would but I cannet get changed anywhere because you decided to let Amanda Honeydew turn the school into a giant tree."

"That was an accident, I didn't encourage the behaviour and let me say that the girl has been reprimanded. Now go to the staff room and get dressed will you?" And she shooed Patricia out of the hall, waving her arms like she was scaring off a goose.

The second years kept their lips pursed, fighting off the amusement at the sight of Miss Gimlet in her dressing gown when they saw the frosty look on Constance's face.

After what felt like an age the final bell rang signalling the end of the day. Constance said goodbye to her final group (the third years), noticing that Amanda was particularly quiet after the fiasco with the potion.

Thankfully Mr Blossom had nearly finished repairing the dormitories but Amelia insisted that the students and the staff remain in the great hall for all of their lessons and sleeping needs until it was completely safe to go into the bedrooms. Constance would soon have her potions lab back. She was relieved. Using the great hall for the potions lessons was proving difficult. Only that afternoon the fumes from an incorrectly made voice changing potion had made the school orchestra's instruments sound so squeaky that it had made Constance's ears ache.

"What dress have you picked out?" Patricia asked as Constance stepped into the staff room. She looked dazed for a moment at the sudden question.

"Oh, the one hung up inside the cupboard."

The staff had been using the stationary cupboard as a safe place to put their outfits for the evening.

Patricia wandered over to the cupboard and pulled out a mid-length black and grey vertically striped dress, "Constance," she said, sounding in awe, "You'll look lovely in that. With a nice pair of ankle boots and your hair down. Please wear your hair down tonight!"

Constance snatched the dress from Patricia, "I'll wear my hair how I want to, which in a public setting is probably safest up."

After Amelia had settled the girls down and they were busy spending time with their friends, the staff that were going out to Nottingham were ready to leave.

"We'll go by car shall we? It's much less hassle than flyin' in the city centre." Patricia sounded like she was talking from experience as she took the car keys for the purple Beetle and ushered everyone inside.

"Good luck getting parked," Constance said, folding herself almost in half as she attempted to get in the back behind Patricia who was driving.

Patricia had decided against her turquoise dress and had gone for a white suit instead. She peeled off the coat and placed it over Davina's knees (Davina was sitting in the passenger seat).

"Everyone buckled up?" She called over her shoulder. There was a mumble from behind her as Edith fastened herself in.

"You look lovely, Constance," she smiled, tucking a strand of her straightened blonde hair behind her ear as she admired Constance's appearance.

She had decided against having her hair fully up, instead she had tied the upper layer of her hair into a ponytail and left the length loose and wavy.

"Hmm..." Constance grumbled, looking out of the window at the darkening sky as they drove down the country lanes towards the motorway.

Patricia had put on a mixed tape she had made during a lesson some weeks ago and they blasted down the road listening to a song by a man called Jimmy Nail (Constance had never heard of him but the others seemed familiar with him). Singing from the top of her lungs, Patricia nearly hit the car in the next lane, making Constance grab the wheel from the back of the car. Davina had to cover her ears, wincing in pain at the shrill tones coming from her friend.

"I understand you're excited Patricia, but can you pay more attention to what you're doing? I would like to get home safely." Constance said sternly as Patricia regained her composure.

"Well d'ye wanna drive?" Patricia asked, actually turning in the driver's seat to look at Constance.

"WILL YOU PAY ATTENTION TO THE ROAD?!" Constance shouted.

Edith grimaced, "Maybe it would be best if Constance drove. I don't want to sound awful but you're a terrible driver." She and Davina snickered, sharing a look.

With a heavy sigh, Patricia pulled into the hard shoulder and she and Constance switched places and eventually they were driving through the streets of Nottingham in one piece.

"So where is this bar, Trish?" Davina asked, pulling out her map.

"Where did you keep that?" Edith laughed loudly from the back of the car.

Davina waved it towards the back of the car, "Oh this? It was in the glove box."

Patricia smiled at her friend, "Well if ye park here," she pointed at a sign saying _Stoney Street_ , "It's just round the corner. It's called Propaganda the one our Fernando works at."

Constance indicated and parked up, climbing out and letting Patricia and Edith out of her side of the car.

The three friends walked together, Constance walking behind them as they made their way to the bar. There was lounge music playing there and the man on the door, a tall man with heavy set eyes, took their tickets and let them in.

"Oh you're here!" Squeaked a smaller man just as Patricia stepped over the threshold, "Come on or you're going to be late."

Constance looked at Davina and then back at the man, "Excuse me?"

Patricia didn't argue as she was scooted away by the little man.

The entrance of the bar was built higher than the actual drinking and entertainment area so you had to walk down a long flight of stairs to get to a table.

"What just happened?" Edith asked, "They don't think Trish is a drag act do they?"

Constance sighed, "Well with that eyeliner, perhaps..."

Davina snorted as she walked down the stairs, "Honestly, how funny would it be if she ended up on the stage?"

They didn't have to wait long to find out what had actually happened to Patricia. She returned some moments after she had been stolen from them looking bewildered. Edith had ordered them all a drink (Constance refused and drank a glass of orange juice instead) and Patricia drank hers in one mouthful, telling them all about her adventure.

She _had_ been confused for a drag queen. Given her height and build they thought she was the act to go on after Emma Royd, someone called Ophelia Cox, who was apparently six foot tall and quite rotund.

Eventually, after Patricia had told her story and she had calmed down, the lights went down. A cocktail waitress came over handing out shots for the table ("The perks of V.I.P tickets!" Patricia had laughed as she drained shot after shot.)

The stage opened and there stood a curvaceous woman wearing a blue off the shoulder dress with luscious blonde hair falling down her back in soft ringlets. Her skin was pale like milk beneath the spotlight.

"Oh don't you all look fabulous tonight?" She called into the audience, her dress shimmering in the spotlights, "You're a much better looking bunch than last night, that's for sure." The crowd burst into laughter, Constance didn't get the joke.

"That's Fernando," Patricia hissed to Constance, "Doesn't he look great? I taught him how to pad himself out like that."

"Oh," Constance said shortly, looking up at Fernando- Emma wearing her sparkling dress as she strutted around the stage.

"Much nicer looking. And look at all of these handsome men. I see you lot," Emma winked, "If only it was raining with specimens like you..."

The music started and Constance let out a groan of mirth as men in tight black shorts carrying yellow umbrellas appeared on the stage. Edith was cackling with laughter and Davina was clapping to the music. Patricia was whistling as Emma took one umbrella, folded it down and began spanking one of her men on the bottom with it.

Eventually the music came to an end and Emma began looking at her audience. She pointed at Patricia, "Oh look at that lovely suit of yours, Trish. Don't you look stunning? It makes my dress seem so much less strobey. You must tell me where you got those extra sequins." She pointed at Edith, "Darling, I've heard of the windswept and interesting look but have you been through a wind tunnel?"

Edith bit her lip as the audience started laughing at her.

Emma didn't bother with Constance and Davina and moved on to reading other members of the audience. There was one woman with long black hair that was straight down her back.

"Oh hey, Morticia. How's Gomez?" Emma asked, "Is Uncle Fester okay?"

The audience seemed to respond well to that joke but Constance really didn't get it. She drank another glass of orange juice as Emma went back to the stage as a piano was wheeled on.

"Well ladies and gentlemen, it has been lovely speaking to you all this evening but," she sat down by the piano and began to play a little melody, "It's time to say goodbye for now. Not to worry though, darlings as... First I was afraid..." She began to sing, "I was petrified..."

Patricia sang along using the same shrill tones as she had been using in the car earlier. Then the curtain closed, the music faded and the audience erupted in applause.

"So people pay for this?" Constance asked, "People pay to be insulted by someone?"

Patricia nodded, "Why wouldn't they? It's hilarious!"

Edith didn't think so. She was stroking her long blonde hair, looking quite upset as the next act came on. Patricia offered her a drink but she didn't want one.

"I just want to go home." She said very quietly, grabbing her handbag and walking up the flight of stairs leading to the exit.

"Edith!" Constance and Davina called after her, following the young witch outside into the crisp evening air.

Her face was brilliant red as she dabbed her cheeks, "I can't help that my hair is naturally messy," she sobbed, "I came out for a good time, I didn't come out to be picked on."

Constance sighed, remembering what it had felt like that morning when the whole staff room had been laughing at her expense. She didn't want to make Edith feel any worse, nor did she want to make the whole situation about herself so she remained silent.

Davina wrapped her arms around Edith and gave her a squeeze, "It's just part of the act. I'm sure if she'd gone for Constance or I you would have been laughing. Don't worry so much," she pointed at her own hair, "I look like I've been through a wind tunnel as well."

"And the alcohol will be making you more emotional." Stated Constance, "There's Patricia coming out now. We should go back to the castle."

Patricia staggered up the stairs of the bar, grasping tightly onto what looked like a cocktail glass, "Howay, where's me _hic_ girls at?" She slumped in the doorway, "I'm all alone!"

"Yes, perhaps it would be best to go home." Constance grabbed Patricia by the waist and helped her walk back to the car, putting her in the back of the tiny car, Edith beside her and Davina still in the passenger seat.

Turning the engine over they drove back down the motorway and down the country lanes in silence. Constance checked her mirror to take a look at Patricia. She did not look well. Her usually mahogany face had gone a very sallow colour and she was gulping quite a bit.

"Are you going to be-" Too late. Patricia bent double over Edith, spilling the contents of her stomach over her black floral dress. Edith squealed, breaking down into more tears as Constance pulled over near the gates of a farm to help clear up the mess.

Edith's dress was ruined. No magic could have possibly salvaged it. Davina rubbed Patricia's back, her head in a bramble bush as she emptied her stomach again.

Eventually, after Constance had cleaned the car they were back on the road again heading towards the school. It loomed in the distance as they drove through the village, passed Constance's old cottage, which was alive with lights, and up the dirt path through the forest. The gates opened as they approached and Edith gave a squeak of excitement, pointing at a grey car parked in front of the staff room window.

"I know that car..." She cried, forcing her way out of the Beetle as Davina pushed the passenger seat forward. Constance helped Patricia out of the car, locking the door as she watched in wonder as Edith rushed into the castle.


	7. One Across, Twelve Letters

"Jay!" Edith cried as she burst into the staff room.

Davina followed, as did Constance, who was supporting the semi-conscious Patricia who was slurring something about possibly being a bit too drunk. Constance held her tongue as she looked into the staff room to bid goodnight to Amelia to see a young man with red hair and a thick beard looking up at Edith with a broad smile on his face, his hands on her waist as he pulled her into his lap, pressing a kiss to her lips.

"Who is this?" Constance asked, trying to hold Patricia up.

Edith beamed at the strange man, then up at Constance, "This is my partner. Jay, this is everyone. Everyone this is Jay."

Amelia had already spoken to Edith's fiancée before the others had arrived. He had come to the school unannounced to surprise Edith but sadly she had been out at the time. When she had returned and had seen the little Volkswagen parked on the drive, however, her heart skipped and the bad memories of the evening faded entirely.

"So," Edith said, stroking Jay's hand as the others left the staff room to go to bed, "What are you doing here?"

Her hazel eyes were alive with a light that hadn't been seen since late February.

Jay cleared his throat, "Well," He stroked Edith's small hands with his large, strong ones, "I'm on leave for a week or so and I wanted to see you. I miss seeing you, Edie. I miss holding you in my arms at night."

Edith let out a little laugh as she felt Jay's free hand stroking her thigh. She sucked her teeth, "Oooh. We won't be doing much of that tonight. We're camping in the great hall."

Constance was afraid of exactly what Jay had on his mind. As she settled herself down in her pyjamas and rolled over in her sleeping bag on the floor, she feared that if the happy couple got a bit too amorous during the night things may go slightly awry. Of course Edith wasn't like that, something deep down inside Constance knew that she would never risk being seen or overheard by the overly curious students, but there was some concern on the surface given that it had been so long since she had last seen her partner.

The next morning when she woke up she went straight to the staff room to get a cup of peppermint tea and found both Edith and Jay with their heads in the morning paper, completing the crossword. She couldn't help but feel slightly jealous at the sight of the pair of them looking so happy and she wondered for a brief moment if anyone would ever let her feel that happy. She thought she could have had happiness with Emma all those years ago, when they had been laughing at the pub in the village, but... She shook that horrid thought from her mind as she went over to the kettle..

"Good morning, Constance," Edith said brightly, "How are you this morning?"

Constance nodded nonchalantly, "Yes. I'm fine."

Jay furrowed his brow as he looked at the paper, "One across – farfetched. Twelve letters..."

Edith smiled as she turned back to her love, "Hmm... What letters do you have?"

"I have an I and an S."

"Implausible," Constance said as she left the staff room, returning to the great hall.

Patricia was still flat out in her sleeping bag, a sick bucket beside her (that had remained unused) and her forehead covered in a thin film of sweat and dried up makeup. Davina was cuddled up next to her, her face covered in brilliant pink lipstick from where Patricia had been a bit too forward with her affections while she was settling down to sleep.

Constance sat cross-legged in her sleeping bag, stroking Morgana as she nuzzled up against her knees, purring loudly as she watched her mistress sip her tea, watching the sun rise through the stained glass windows.

The door opened with a squeak. Edith tip-toed in and mouthed to Constance, "I'm just grabbing some aspirin. I have a teeny tiny hangover," then she caught sight of Patricia and gave a sympathetic smile. Constance on the other hand felt very smug, being the only one who wasn't suffering from last night.

It was soon time to get up and ready and she opened her overnight bag and pulled out her favourite Oriental style dress. She tied her hair up precisely and with a flick of her casting fingers she was in her dress just as Patricia groaned.

The jewellery design teacher lay on the floor, her sleeping bag bundled around her as she let out a painful grumble. She grasped at her forehead, opened one eye and then stuck her head into the bucket beside her.

Davina woke up to the sound of retching beside her and she too grasped her head and rolled back over.

"I doubt much work is going to be getting done today." Constance said dryly as she folded up her sleeping bag and took it down to the kitchens for Mrs Tapioca to clean and put away in the storage room.

According to Frank Blossom the bedrooms would be safe to enter today so Constance was remaining optimistic. The thought of waking up without a stiff neck was driving her forward today and as the rising bell rang in the great hall the students woke like soldiers in an army barracks.

"We'll have none of that, girls. Get dressed and start packing your things away. Mr Blossom should have the dormitories ready for you today," Constance announced. The girls made sounds of joy at the thought of having their beds back, sharing in Constance's unusual optimism.

The first lesson of the day was English and as most of the classrooms and bedrooms were being redecorated and refurnished the students and staff had to sit in on Edith's lesson. The mini-cauldrons had been taken back to the potions lab and the orchestra equipment had been taken back to the chanting classroom. It was quite inconvenient for most of the teachers but the students were glad for the time off.

Amelia sat beside Constance at the back of the hall, next to Patricia and Davina who were both suffering with their hangovers. Patricia was shovelling a greasy breakfast of charcoaled bacon, rubbery fried eggs, two Lincolnshire sausages and what looked like a whole tin of baked beans into her mouth as Edith presented to the class.

"Okay. Today we are going to be doing a bit of creative writing. What I want you to do is write a newspaper article based on anything you like and one at a time we'll read it out."

There were only six students in the first year class so it wouldn't take long to read through all of the articles.

"And anyone else who wants to take part is welcome!" Edith added, seeing that some of the older students were loitering. The students adored Edith so did as they were told and sat down with their rough notebooks, jotting down their ideas.

Jay had been sent for a run in the woods by Constance who thought the sight of a young man may be too distracting for the girls. Little did she realise, however, that one third year had spotted him coming in from his jog.

"Phwoar! Jaz, have you seen him?" Amanda asked, tapping her friend Jasmine on the arm.

Jasmine turned in her seat, peering through the great hall door that was open ajar. She made the same impressed noises as Amanda as they both sat staring through the crack in the door, their mouths hanging open ever so slightly.

"That's not Greeny's boyfriend is it?" She asked.

Amanda nodded, "It is. Look at those muscles!" She gestured slyly to the man standing in the hallway, "Those are some amazing muscles."

"And the beard," Said their friend, Lucia, "How did _she_ get with him?"

The girls stared at him as he switched off his Walkman in the corridor outside the great hall. He bent down to retie his shoe laces and the girls giggled when they could see the shape of his perfectly toned backside through his shorts. Sadly for them Edith had overheard their hissing and giggling and was beside them in a heartbeat, seeming for an instance like Constance who was a genius at frightening the students. The girls let out cries of shock, making the students partaking in the lesson look up.

"I see you've met my fiancée?" She smiled, "He's for my eyes only, girls. Keep those," she pointed at Amanda's blue eyes, "Off him."

"Yes Miss," they said glumly as they returned to their notes.

Amelia placed a finger on Constance's hand, "A word if I may?"

Constance obliged, following Amelia into the corridor.

"What is it, Amelia?"

Amelia looked concerned, "Patricia. I was wondering if, while she's suffering with her menopause if you could take the reigns with the second years? She's obviously struggling and the responsibility of being a class teacher obviously isn't working well for her."

It was better than nothing in Constance's mind. She nodded, agreeing to take on the full second year class and they returned to the great hall just as one first year stood up to read out her article.

"Now announce this to the room, Violet." Edith smiled sweetly, perching on the edge of the desk.

Violet cleared her throat nervously, " _Local woman, Isabelle Montgomery, has been staking out the local chapel. Her protest, according to villagers, is in relation to a weasel infestation in her front garden._

" _According to our sources, Ms Montgomery believes that the weasels were sent by the devil and that they are coming after her soul. Isabelle Montgomery sat outside the church doors on a camp chair with a flask of hot cocoa. When she was asked what she was doing by local youths they were chased away, beaten by her umbrella as she screeched "Wicked child!" at them._

" _Ms Montgomery has yet to come forward to make a statement as she is still sitting outside the church waiting for the devil to take back his weasels._ "

Edith was sat on the edge of her desk laughing loudly. The rest of the students were giggling too. Edith clapped her hands, "Well done, Violet! You get a gold star for that one!" She pulled out a yellow card and wrote something down on it, passing it to her student and continued around the group.

"A reward system," Amelia explained, "It worked in her last school apparently and our girls respond well to it too," she added, noticing that Constance had every intention of interrupting. Once Constance understood what the cards were for she could see what Edith was doing.

By giving the girls these symbols of achievement it helped them strive to do better and, more importantly, want to continue to impress her with their work. It was a fantastic idea, one that should have been adapted into the school more recently. It wasn't Constance's style to hand out praise willy-nilly, as it appeared all of Edith's students were getting gold stars, but she could see how it could work for a more relaxed teacher like Davina or even Patricia.

Patricia, in her own classes, actually had a golden nugget system and the table with the golden nuggets on at the end of the week were allowed to skip the final jewellery design lesson of the week. This was not Constance's idea of rewarding good behaviour, but she could see Patricia's good intentions.

Finally they came around to the final story and it was by Lizzie Crocker; a scrawny girl with thick red hair tied back in a ponytail, " _There have been reports from Camberwell Police Department of kittens being flung into the air by pensioners. A member of the local neighbourhood watch, a lady called Carla Poulson, was spotted at the scene of one of the alleged "kitten flinging contests" by police however so far no public witnesses have stepped forward._ "

The final gold star was handed out just as the bell rang and Frank Blossom walked into the hall rubbing his hands with a cloth.

"All done, Miss Cackle!" He said brightly, "The girls can start movin' back into their rooms now."

"Oh, fantastic!" Beamed Amelia, "Did you hear that girls? You can take your suitcases from the hall and start unpacking your things."

The girls filed out of the hall as Constance whispered into Amelia's ear, "Shouldn't we have them do that at the end of the day?"

Amelia sighed, "You're right. But it's too late now..."

Constance rolled her eyes, folding her arms over her chest and scowling as the girls picked up their suitcases and noisily made their way upstairs to put their things away. The staff had stored their things in the staff room for the time being.

That night Constance was glad to have her bed back, as was Morgana who purred loudly as she leapt on to her mistress' pillow for a good night's sleep. On Thursday morning, however, there was an atmosphere in the air that was setting Constance on edge.

"There's a feeling of anarchy in the air, Headmistress. I don't like it. I don't like it one bit."

Amelia sighed, sipping her glass of water and taking a bite out of her cream slice, "The girls are tired."

"Tired?! Amelia, I refuse to listen to an excuse like that. Last week, perhaps but now they are sleeping soundly in their own beds. Well most of them are sleeping soundly. Amanda Honeydew was having another one of her all-night silent discos with Jasmine Spellbinder and Lucia Silveroot last night."

"A silent disco!" Amelia exclaimed, "What on Earth is a silent disco?"

Constance scoffed, "They listen to those infernal machines and the rubbish they call music using those things that go in their ears."

"Perhaps the girls are distracted?" Davina suggested, taking a mouthful of her porridge. She nodded towards the window facing out into the courtyard. There stood Jay, lifting his dumbbells, completely shirtless. His chest was glistening in the morning sun and his muscles rippled as he tensed and relaxed them.

There was a hoard of girls, unseen by the soldier, perched on top of the broom shed roof. They sat cross-legged, their chins resting in their hands as they stared seemingly in awe of the only man they had seen in what felt to them like forever.

Constance glowered and with a whoosh she appeared in the courtyard beside Jay.

"If you don't mind putting on some clothing, Mr Mills, I believe you are distracting the students."

Jay, who had not noticed his audience, blushed profusely, before rushing over to his t-shirt and pulling it on.

"I am ever so sorry, Constance. I hope- I didn't mean to-"

Constance sighed, gesturing towards the door, "Go inside and put on some actual clothes. None of this exercise gear. I don't want the students thinking it's appropriate to loiter in sports wear."

"But I need to do my exercises." He said loudly, picking up his dumbbells again.

Constance rolled her eyes, "Well you can go to Edith's room and do them there."

And so saying, she vanished back to the staff room. Jay stared at the spot where she had been standing, "Is that normal?"

The girls nodded, "Yeah," One girl said.

"She does it all the time," Said another.

Jay arrived in Edith's bedroom just as she was getting dressed. Gaia, her ragdoll cat, meowed loudly when she saw him and she leapt from the bed to curl around his ankles, purring loudly and blinking her wide, blue eyes.

"Hello," Edith said quietly, brushing her fingers through her mass of blonde hair. She straightened her bra strap that was peeking out from beneath her floral dress. She walked over to Jay and wrapped her arms around his neck, "I missed you in the shower." She kissed him softly on the lips. When she pulled away she looked down, "What are they?"

"Weights." Jay said shortly, scratching his beard, "I've been sent to the room."

Edith rolled her eyes, "Constance?"

Jay nodded, placing his dumbbells down on the floor, "That thing she does with the disappearing too. How weird is that?"

"You get used to it after a while," Edith explained as she wrapped her arms around Jay's stomach, resting her head on his shoulder. She kissed his neck, her eyelashes fluttering, "Anyway," she purred into his ear, "Enough about her..."

That afternoon it was time for a staff meeting. The girls were studying in the library and Jay had been asked to vacate the premises temporarily, so he took the car and drove to the village pub.

They had discussed uniform, behaviour, standards until eventually they worked their way down to the thorny topic of Amanda Honeydew.

"It's only going to be a matter of time until she causes some serious damage, Headmistress," Said Constance after the first mention of the troubled student.

There was a collective groan around the table, except from Patricia who looked nearly unconscious, staring into her tea.

"Well really," Constance sighed, "She has to be the worst pupil we have ever had at this school."

Edith shook her head, "No. She's a really lovely, sweet girl."

"You would say that, Miss Greene. You haven't been teaching her for three years. Once you've known her for as long as I have you will feel differently."

Amelia sipped her tea, "Perhaps the school council you suggested might work for her," she stated, "We could get the girls' opinions on different topics and discuss them during an assembly next week," Amelia noticed that Constance was looking as though she was about to interrupt, "The book club has shook things up, there is no denying it. The overall grades of our students has improved tremendously and the rewards system you have introduced to your classes, Edith, is really helping boost the morale."

Constance pursed her lips in frustration. Yet again Edith had bettered her and impressed Amelia. She felt as though her head might explode with the rage that she was feeling towards the young blonde at the table; the blonde who had managed to get her feet under the table the moment she had entered the school, the girl who had managed to befriend the staff room misfits, who had the perfect cat, the perfect boyfriend- With an anguished grumble Constance folded her arms and vanished into thin air.

"She's not a big fan of change is she?" Davina asked dryly, then she caught sight of Patricia who glared at her with her bright blue eyes.

"You mention that word near me and I'll stab you in the eye with me knittin' needle." Patricia growled, mopping her forehead with her sleeve.

Amelia got back on topic, "Leave her to her sulking. At the rate she's going she will not be getting the deputy job," She muttered the last part more to herself than to the others. She sipped her tea and returned to the subject of running the school.

Constance was pacing back and forth in her bedroom again, "She's been teaching for all of five minutes and Amelia thinks that girl is a better teacher than me!" She shouted at herself as she walked, "I've been working at this school for nearly thirteen years and where's my recognition?"

Morgana made a chirruping noise from the windowsill as she watched her mistress rant and rave to herself, wondering yet again what was wrong with her, why she was so uptight.

The next morning Edith woke up early to go for a walk with Jay. They walked hand in hand through the village and the woods leading back to the school just as the rising bell rang. The school awoke with a rustling of quilt covers and as they entered the entrance hall, Edith and Jay turned to face each other.

"I'm going to miss you," Edith whispered, looking at the suitcase that had been placed in the alcove by the door earlier.

Jay smiled meekly at her, "Don't worry. I'll be home again in June like I was meant to be," He kissed her gently just as Constance walked down the wooden staircase.

"Good morning," She said, interrupting their moment. The couple pulled away from each other and glared at her. Then she caught sight of the suitcase, "Oh, leaving so soon?"

"Yeah. Edith and I were just saying goodbye," He stated. He kissed Edith's forehead and whispered something to her before picking up his suitcase and leaving through the wooden doors leading to the courtyard. There was a rumble of an engine as Edith watched from the door, waving goodbye to her partner.

Constance remained on the staircase, watching Edith. She could see how much she truly loved her partner and it made her chest ache with jealousy to see that. With a small "hmph" she made her way to the staff room to arrange the proposed council meeting for next week with Amelia.

* * *

 **A/N: Hope you enjoyed this update!**


	8. A Perilous Prescription

"So this is the final list of questions?" Amelia asked at the morning staff meeting.

Constance looked around the room and all of the other teachers nodded, "This is all the girls wanted to know."

She lowered her glasses onto her nose and read them," _What is Miss Cackle's waist size? Can we have a non-uniform day on a Friday?_ \- Well I'm sure the last one wouldn't be a problem but the other ones... _Will Miss Bat please stop singing?_ _Which conditioner does Miss Hardbroom use?_ "

Patricia cleared her throat, "I may have put that one in there actually."

Constance smirked as she took the list back from Amelia and glanced over it. She was finding that she was needing to hold it at arms length to read it, "The lighting in here is absolutely shocking," She squinted, "Here's a serious one – _can we have more flying lessons?_ I'm sure that can be arranged."

Patricia frowned, "Are ye alright, flower? You're squintin' pretty badly there."

Constance turned to Patricia, "Of course I'm fine. As I said, the light just seems to be quite low in here today. It's making the writing on the list seem smaller."

"Constance, nothing's different," Edith said coolly, "Maybe you should go to the optician and get your eyes checked. You've been having problems with your reading vision for a month or so."

"I am not going to one of those opticians. All of that nonsense with machines, no. There is nothing wrong with my eyes, thank you."

Amelia put her foot down, however, and drove Constance to the optician. Amelia had called the optician during the week to make an appointment for herself but she was happy letting Constance have the appointment instead. She had explained the situation at reception and there was apparently no problem. She had also arranged cover for Constance's class with the first years that morning. Patricia would take them instead and would give them an extra jewellery design lesson.

Constance sat down in the optician's office after she had made her presence known at reception. It smelled very clinical, almost like someone had used a bit too much furniture polish.

"You can look at frames if you want, Mrs Harpboom," the receptionist called over to Constance who was busying herself looking through her large leather handbag.

She looked up at the mispronunciation of her name, "It's Hardbroom and I don't need to look at frames, thank you. My eyesight is fine."

Just as she rested against the back of her seat again, the door opened behind her, "Miss Hardbroom?"

Constance turned to the man. He was small with dark hair and pale blue eyes. He was holding a brown clipboard tightly in his hands. She followed him into his office where she was directed to a leather backed chair.

"How are we today?" He asked kindly as he sat at a swivelling red chair behind his desk.

Constance narrowed her eyes, "I'm very well however I feel that this appointment may have been made in error, now if you'll excuse me I have a class to-"

"Now I have here that you're thirty four years old, is that right?" The optician stated, "And your friend, Miss Cackle, said that you have been having trouble reading fine print."

"Yes, well, as I said to Amelia this morning," Constance explained, "The lighting in the staff room at the school is terrible. I'm not the only one who has trouble reading in that room."

The optician nodded, then he looked startled for a moment, "You know I've completely forgotten to introduce myself, I'm John McGuinness. Anyway Miss Hardbroom I think what I'm going to do is get you to read a few eye charts and then we'll take a look at those eyes of yours shall we?"

Mr McGuinness handed Constance a laminated sheet of paper and asked her to read through it. It had the same sentence printed over and over again, the font getting smaller until at the very end it was completely illegible. It was about half way down the page where Constance started struggling and Mr McGuinness took the sheet away and asked her to look up at the wall chart.

"Now if I cover your left eye how far down can you see?"

Constance read out the letters as he asked and then they repeated the same thing on the other side. After they had completed that exercise he handed her back the laminated piece of paper and put a rather peculiar pair of glasses on her head. They were grey and plastic with bulky frames around the eyes. Constance noted that they were quite heavy.

"Now I want you to read down to the point where we started struggling before and tell me if I put this lens in if it's better or worse?"

After he had completed all of his tests, Mr McGuinness sighed, "Well Constance it looks to me like your reading vision is beginning to fail. It's not too bad, just a slight deterioration but it will warrant wearing glasses."

Constance rolled her eyes, "I've survived so far without glasses, Mr McGuinness, I am quite sure I will cope."

She climbed out of the chair and made her way out into the seating area.

"Miss Hardbroom-"

"No. I refuse to spend my money on a pair of spectacles that are not required."

Amelia was sat waiting for Constance in the car. She looked up just as Constance marched out of the practice. She ripped the door open and sat down, her arms folded across her chest.

"Well?"

Constance mumbled something but Amelia couldn't hear her.

"What was that dear?"

"I need glasses." Constance grumbled, "But I've survived this long, I'm sure they will not be required."

Amelia tilted her head to one side and gave Constance a look. The younger woman pursed her lips, "You don't need to pay for glasses, you know. You can get free frames."

"Really?" Constance said sounding almost surprised, "I didn't know that."

Amelia smiled, "In which case, get yourself back in there and get a pair of glasses."

Constance slumped back in the chair again, "No, no. I'll be quite alright. Can we go back to the castle now?"

Amelia shook her head, "No. You're going to get yourself a pair of glasses. If I need to I'll pick them out for you myself." She took a heavy breath and continued, "I thought I was better than everyone else and now look at me," she pointed at the glasses seated on top of her head, "Just get some glasses. No one will think any less of you."

So Constance grudgingly returned to the optician's office and came back about an hour later with a pair of square, thick framed glasses attached to a gold chain. Amelia couldn't hold back a little snicker.

"What?"

"Well someone my age uses glasses chains." Said Amelia, "Not someone who's only in their thirties."

"They're practical." Constance stated as she folded up her glasses and put them in the case. Amelia rolled her eyes, then turned the engine over and with a slight judder they drove back to the castle for the council meeting with the students.

The others had prepared the great hall for the meeting. Davina and Edith had been put in charge of proceedings while Patricia typed up the rest of the questions that the students had asked.

"That looks good doesn't it?" Davina pointed towards the poster she had made to go over the back wall of the great hall, "It really shows what this meeting is all about."

Edith furrowed her eyebrows, "A giant duck?" She sat down in the front row, "A giant duck is what this meeting is all about?"

The poster Davina had designed was a brilliant blue with a rubber duck painted in the corner. The bright orange beak had a speech bubble coming from it, emblazoned with the words _Cackle's Academy Question Time_.

"Well it was either going to be a duck or a cat, dear," Davina said as she sat beside Edith, "I'm sure Amelia will love it. How are you feeling?"

Davina was referring to Edith's health. She had been experiencing a little bit of stomach pain that morning which was also giving her quite a bit of back ache. She nodded, "I'm fine, Davina. Don't worry. I've drank the orange juice with garlic like you said."

"Good," Davina smiled, "Well here's hoping it goes down as well as this poster does!"

Amelia really wasn't overly enamoured with it. As the headmistress entered the great hall she spotted the poster hanging over the harmonium and she sighed very loudly.

"How did it go at the optician's?" Edith asked Constance who, at that moment, was putting her new glasses case into her handbag.

"Very well, thank you." Constance said coldly as she walked away to stand beside Amelia who was staring open mouthed at the poster.

"What on Earth is this?!" She cried, sounding for a brief moment almost like Constance, "Take it down at once. It is completely inappropriate."

"I told you we should have gone for cats," Davina whispered to Edith who gave a slight chuckle.

There was one more lesson before the council meeting began and Constance was with the fourth years for a botany lesson. She was busy describing the different types of mint plants and their medicinal properties when she heard a crash from outside the classroom.

"What on Earth...?" She said under her breath as she left the classroom to investigate. The fourth years were a quiet group so they could survive for a few moments with no supervision while Constance investigated what the banging noise was.

There was a rush of air as the doors of the school burst open and a pink blur came hurtling towards her. Constance tried to save herself from falling as the blur screeched past her but as her right arm hit the flagstone it buckled and with a blood curdling crack she fell to the floor.

"Miss Hardbroom!" The blur stopped moving. It was Amanda Honeydew, "I'm so sorry. I lost control of my broomstick, I-"

Constance winced in pain as she pushed herself up. Her voice was trembling, a mix of anger and pain, "Amanda. You will report to Miss Cackle's office at once and wait for me there while I go down to the sick bay for an ice pack."

"Are you-" Amanda reached out to help Constance but she was swatted away like an irritating blue bottle.

"That is none of your concern. Now go to the headmistress immediately."

Before she went down to the sick bay she informed her class of what had happened. Thankfully when she did meet the school nurse she informed her that there were no broken bones but she had sprained her wrist and she would need a support for it.

After her meeting with the nurse Constance walked up to the headmistress' office with her support and her ice pack, and was greeted by the sight of a sobbing Amanda.

"For goodness sakes girl!" She barked, slamming the door.

Amelia winced as she saw Constance's hand in the wrist strap, "How are you feeling?"

Constance shook off Amelia's concerns and she turned her attention to Amanda, "Flying in the corridors, injuring a member of staff. You could have done some serious damage had you actually flown into me."

"I'm—I'm sorry Miss Hardbroom," Sniffed Amanda, "I never meant to- I lost control of my broomstick and before I knew it you were on the floor."

Amelia tried to be sympathetic, "We all lose control of our broomsticks from time to time but you are a third year student now. You should have better control than you do."

"I've seen better flying from the first years, Headmistress. Amanda, you are unfit to be a pupil at this school and quite honestly I think you should be expelled. However," her voice softened, "I have no power to decide whether you stay here or not so your fate lies in the hands of Miss Cackle."

Amelia was always going to give Amanda her umpteenth last chance and they escorted her to the council meeting, during which Constance mentioned about Amanda's escapade in the hallway and called for an immediate ban on broomsticks being used at all within the walls of the school.

"It's a health and safety risk. If it had been Miss Gimlet or Miss Cackle this incident could have caused an even more serious injury. That is all I have to say on the matter, and in fact for this meeting."

The girls groaned as the new rule was put into place. There had never been a need for a "No flying in the corridors" rule before. The teachers trusted the students to have a bit of common sense, something that seemed to be fading over time for some of the students.

"What about the rest of the propositions?" Amelia asked, "Non-uniform days?"

The crowd of students roared, shouting out their ideas but Constance was having none of it. She rose to her feet, towering over Amelia, "This council meeting was a bad idea, Miss Cackle. I told you it would be and did you listen? The girls are out of control, just look at them! They need firm leadership!"

The girls were wondering why they were all being blamed and punished for Amanda's bad behaviour. They looked perfectly calm and couldn't understand what Constance was gesturing at, and by the look on her face neither did Amelia.

"You attempt to give them a political voice and they end up being unruly! I've had enough of this insolent behaviour!" And with that Constance vanished.

Amelia sighed deeply, "Well girls, I'm sure Miss Hardbroom is just stressed at the moment."

The air was filled with a scathing noise and the staff jumped out of their skin. Nobody spoke for a few moments until the air had warmed up again and they were sure that Constance had left.

"Perhaps it would be a good idea to take the girls for a walk," Edith suggested, "To help them clear their heads and, to be honest, I could do with some fresh air so I can supervise them if you want?"

Amelia nodded, "That sounds like a good idea. Miss Greene will be taking you all for a walk for the remainder of the session," she turned to Davina and Patricia, "Should we look for Constance or should we give her some space?"

Patricia bit her lip, "Give her some space. She obviously wants to be left alone."

"I get like that from time to time," piped up Davina, "We all need a bit of alone time."

Amelia frowned, looking up as Edith left the great hall with the entourage of students behind her.

X

Constance materialised in the woods behind the school, just beyond Walker's Gate and the hollow pine tree. She began walking, she had no destination, she just kept walking. And walking...

She walked passed crooked trees, some still bare of leaves, others bursting to life with pale blossoms. Eventually she reached the pond in the woods, filled with algae and frogs. She tapped the ground with her heel to make sure it was dry and with a little "oomph" sound she sat down by the pond, her legs stretched out in front of her.

Her long, bony fingers traced ripples across the water as she enjoyed the silence, the sound of the breeze in the trees, the chirruping of birds and the sound of croaking frogs. One, a bumpy backed one that looked considerably older than the others, hid beneath the surface of the water, its eyes peering up at her. Constance sighed as she looked at the little frog, feeling for a moment like they were kindred spirits. She just wanted to hide away at the moment, to get away from the hustle and bustle of the school.

Constance cupped her sprained wrist for a moment, feeling a shooting pain running up and down the side of her arm. Once the pain subsided she looked up towards the other side of the pond and saw a crowd of students.

She sat, staring in wonder for a moment. What were the girls up to? What were they doing in the woods when they should have been in that ridiculous assembly Amelia had planned?

Her questions were answered when they looped around by her side of the pond and she saw Edith leading the herd back towards the school. Sadly Constance didn't go unnoticed.

"Miss Hardbroom..." One of the students in the group said very quietly, "What is she doing out here?"

Edith's ears pricked up, "What?" She asked the girls to stop walking as she went up to the young witch, a first year called Fiona, and asked her to repeat herself.

"She's sat by the pond." Fiona stated, pointing to the spot through the trees where Constance had been sitting. When Edith looked over, however, Constance had vanished.

"It must have been a trick of the light, Fiona. Why would Miss Hardbroom be sitting in the mud?" Edith dismissed Fiona's concerns and led the girls back to the school.

With a gasp of air, Constance reappeared by the pond just as the last of the girls filed past the pond. She knew she couldn't hide here forever, but when night fell she still couldn't find the will power to return to the school.

The crickets were singing in the grass as she gazed up at the moon, its light cascading on to the water's surface. There was a light breeze in the air that night.

"Constance," a voice came from behind her which made her jump slightly.

She looked up and saw Edith standing in between the trees, smiling sweetly at her. She stayed in place, not wishing to scare away the formidable form mistress. Edith felt, for a bizarre moment, that she was approaching a wild deer as Constance stared up at her with her dark, almond eyes wide in the pale moonlight.

Constance couldn't find any words to say. Thankfully Edith spoke for her, "Are you okay?"

Rolling her eyes, Constance scoffed, "Of course I'm okay, Miss Greene. I have a sprained wrist and I'm apparently on the verge of a mental breakdown."

Edith smirked, "Sarcastic as always. May I join you?"

Constance didn't argue as Edith sat beside her, sitting cross legged as she stared up at the moon. For a while they sat in blissful silence. They both gazed up at the starlit sky, the light of the moon illuminating their faces in a wash of misty blue.

Finally Constance spoke, "How did you know I was here?"

Edith turned to look at Constance, "One of the first years spotted you and I guessed you'd still be here even if you did your vanishing trick earlier. I'm worried about you and no one else has the nerve to approach you about it. Not even Amelia."

"Amelia?" Constance enquired. She never intended to push her only friend away. All she had wanted was a few hours peace, not to lose the only mother she had ever known.

Edith nodded, "What is it that's made you this way?"

"What do you mean?"

"So cold and distant. I don't want you to tell me unless you want to but I do wonder..." Edith sighed, "I bet it's all just a facade. You're such a fascinating lady; clever, funny without realising it..."

Constance was smirking now, "Fascinating? That's one way to put it I suppose."

Edith shuffled closer to Constance, "How would you put it?" She asked almost inaudibly.

"I'm not trying to be self indulgent, Edith. Just go back to the school before you catch your death."

Edith shook her head, "I'm not leaving you here alone. You need to be with someone and I'll stay with you until you're ready to go back."

"Why?"

"Despite your attempts to push me away I do care about you," Constance raised an eyebrow at Edith who held up a hand, "Not in that way! You should know that I am very much into men," she let out a soft laugh.

"Thank you for the gesture but I _do_ know the way back to the school if I want to go back."

"If or when?" Edith asked, "Come on. That place would fall apart without you. You know that you've basically got the deputy job don't you? You know what Amelia's like – she's terrible at making decisions which is _why_ she needs you!"

Eventually Edith managed to twist Constance's arm and they walked back to the school together, through the twisted cherry trees, just as the sun appeared over the horizon.

"Were we really talking for that long?" Constance cried, "Goodness me." As they reached the doorway of the school, she gazed down at Edith, "Thank you."

"For what?"

"For getting me to realise that I'm not just a second thought in this place."

Edith smiled, "You are certainly not a second thought. Be grateful that you have people around you that love you, even if you don't realise it."

And the pair headed back into the school; Edith to her room and Constance to the potion lab to make a batch of wide awake potion. She would need it if she was going to impress Amelia and prove herself as a mature witch, capable of being the deputy headmistress of Cackle's Academy.

* * *

 _ **A/N - Thank you to everyone who has read and reviewed so far. Hope you've enjoyed this chapter!**_


	9. What's Getting Edith Greene?

Patricia woke up in a hot sweat, her duvet tangled around her limbs like a python weaving around its prey. She wiped her gleaming forehead as she looked out of her window. It was beginning to grow lighter on a morning now that it was May but there was still a sharp crispness to the early morning air.

"Gerroff, Jules," She grumbled, pushing the black cat from the bed as she untangled herself and made her way to the staff bathroom. Her pyjamas were soaked through all over, dripping with sweat. If she had wanted to she could have wrung them out over the bath tub but instead she flung them into the laundry hamper. She pointed a finger at the bath which began to run with ice cold water and she peeled off her pyjamas and clambered into the cool water, soothing against her boiling flesh.

She sighed as she lowered herself in, resting her head against the porcelain side. It was relaxing to feel like her body was at a normal temperature, if only for a few minutes. Patricia hated what was happening to her and she couldn't deny that most days she would get so frustrated that she would cry to herself if she had a moment alone.

Soon the rising bell rang out across the school and Patricia steeled herself to get out of the bath. She quickly gave her body a wash before she climbed out of the tub and wrapped a towel around herself. She drained the bath and made her way back to her room to get ready.

On the other side of the corridor, Edith was also getting ready for the morning. Like Patricia she had been woken up early by her body. She had been feeling ill for the last few weeks and her body was starting to show it. Her head was hurting, her back was hurting and her stomach was swollen. She put it down to stress and perhaps catching another bug, as the school seemed to be teaming with illnesses at that time of year.

Edith climbed out of bed and felt the room beginning to spin. Steadying herself on the iron bedstead she walked carefully over to her wardrobe and pulled out her blue kaftan and a pair of flared jeans. She spritzed some deodorant on her body and dressed herself, raking a comb through her hair and applying a fine layer of mascara to her eyelashes to help her look a bit more alive. She forced a smile at the mirror before she fed Gaia and stepped out into the corridor.

"Good morning, Edith. How are you- Goodness, you look terrible! Did you get any sleep last night?"

Amelia approached Edith and placed an arm around her shoulder, leading her down to the staff room.

"Not really," Edith began, "I've been feeling a bit whoozy and out of sorts for a while."

They got to the staff room and Amelia opened the door. Patricia was already up and she too looked just as ill as Edith did.

"The pair of you can sit in here while I go and get you both some breakfast." Amelia explained as she closed the door behind her with a soft creak.

Patricia sipped her orange juice and Edith rested her head on the table.

"Walkin' wounded, aren't we?" Patricia said very quietly, "The pair of us are at death's door."

Edith nodded, taking a minute to compose herself before she looked up.

"What's wrong wi' ye?" Patricia asked.

"No idea," Edith sighed, "I feel ill one minute and then fine the next. Last night though, that was the worst I've ever experienced. I was lying there and I felt that at any moment I could have been sick."

Patricia frowned, "D'ye think ye have a tummy bug?"

Edith shrugged, "I don't know. There was something in the back of my head that made me think that I could be pregnant, you know with my stomach being swollen but," she let out a little laugh, "No chance."

Patricia raised an eyebrow, shuffling in her seat, "When was the last time ye had ye period?"

"Don't be silly, Trish! Jay and I always use protection. Don't look at me like that," She said sharply, referring to Patricia's attempts at looking imposing, "Fine. My last period was three weeks before Jay left for Germany last time so... Just before Christmas," Saying it out loud seemed to spook Edith, who grasped her stomach and took a shuddering breath, "Oh my... I can't be! It's just-"

Patricia's raised a hand and walked over to the bookshelf. From the cupboards beneath the bookshelf she drew out a large cardboard box full of sanitary towels and tampons and underneath the pile was a home pregnancy test.

"Use that, for your own peace of mind. If you aren't pregnant then you have nothing to worry about. If you are, well we'll cross that bridge when we come to it." Patricia said, passing Edith the pregnancy test kit, "The instructions are all in there." Then she cocked an eyebrow, "To me five months without a period seems like a very long time. Did it never occur to ye that ye might have been pregnant?"

"No not really. My periods have always been very sporadic so I just presumed... But I'm not showing at all!"

"Sometimes when yeh pregnant the baby can sit quite far back so you may not start showing until towards the very end. My Mam was like that when she was pregnant wi' me," Patricia explained, nodding at the pregnancy test in Edith's hand.

She looked at it, feeling slightly confused, "Why do we have a pregnancy test here?" Edith asked.

Patricia gave a little smile, "Ye can't tell me that when ye were a young 'un ye never tried to get out of school to see a lad!" Edith shook her head, "Ah well... Okay. Well a few years ago, before Constance even started one of the girls fell pregnant under our watch... Well my watch really because I was on night duty. She snuck out and ended up gettin' off with one of the lads from the school down the road. Don't tell anyone I told ye that, mind."

Edith nodded and she whisked herself upstairs. Patricia put the sanitary towels and tampons back in the cupboard just as Amelia returned with their breakfasts.

"Where's Edith?" Amelia asked as she sat down.

Patricia pursed her lips, "Well she erm... She felt sick so she went to the toilet. I think she might have the shits or summet."

Amelia grimaced, "Oh, say no more! Goodness. Well, I hope you enjoy your breakfast. I got you a full English and Edith normally has porridge so I made her porridge with honey mixed in to help with any bugs she may have floating around in her system." She sighed.

"I think she might have more than that floating around in there," Patricia said daringly under her breath.

"Poor thing," Amelia continued, apparently not hearing Patricia's comment, "She has been so sickly lately hasn't she?"

Patricia nodded, trying not to say anything to give away what she thought could be wrong with Edith. Patricia had never been pregnant before so she actually didn't know if Edith was indeed carrying a baby. Life had never seemed to stop for her so having a child was out of the question and now given what was happening with her body she was never going to have a child of her own.

As that thought entered her mind there was a sound from the doorway. It was Edith, her face a blotchy red as though she had been crying. Her hands were tightly clasped into fists and she looked at Patricia, biting her lip nervously.

Amelia turned in her seat to look at her, "Oh! What on Earth is wrong?"

Patricia gave Edith a knowing look and the younger witch nodded to her, "Edith's pregnant."

X

"Pregnant?!" Constance cried during the staff meeting, "How can she be pregnant?!"

Patricia rolled her eyes, "She does have a boyfriend, Connie-"

"Constance," Constance corrected her irritably.

"-So when he came home from Germany at Chrimbo he obviously got his leg over quite a bit. I know what it's like when Daniel and me haven't seen each other for a while. We're like rabbits."

Edith winced, stroking her tummy that wasn't showing any signs of pregnancy yet apart from a slight tightness and swelling. She sighed to herself, wondering how she would cope as a mother. She had trouble looking after a cactus, let alone a baby!

"Well I think it's wonderful," Davina smiled, "The fact that you're bringing another life into this world, Edith, I think is very brave."

"She won't be doin' it on her own though, will she? Ye will tell Jay?" Patricia stated, "Me Mam was a single mam and at that time people were rotten. They used to her call her whore, slag... You name it she was called it. And up in the North people aren't as open minded as they are down 'ere, especially where I grew up. Ye see me Dad walked out on me Mam after she told him she was pregnant and I've never met the bloke, never wanted to. Heck, he's probably dead by now anyway. Me Mam did a fine enough job raisin' me by herself without that knob head. The neighbours used to call her worse than shite, like, especially when I was a baby apparently," Edith shrank in her seat, "That's not to say that the same will happen to you. Bein' a single mam these days is easier than it was back then and people are more acceptin' of things like that now. It's more common for a woman to raise a child on her own whereas back then it was more-"

"Stop talking!" Constance snapped, "For goodness sake, I've heard of belabouring the point but you take it to another level entirely."

"I think what Patricia is trying to say," Davina said very sweetly, "Is that Jay is a very lovely young man and he will support you and look after you and this little baby. And she still has us."

Constance rolled her eyes, "Now that is a heart-warming thought."

The thought of a screaming baby alongside a hoard of rowdy teenagers, not to mention Patricia and Davina, was quite possibly Constance's idea of hell. She would be put upon for babysitting when Edith's boyfriend came home; Amelia would coo at it, Davina would sing to it in her monotonous voice, Patricia would try to teach it how to swear and it would be down to Constance to do all the hard work like changing nappies, feeding...

Edith edged forward in her seat, "I would need time off for when the baby comes, Amelia. I hope you don't mind that?"

Amelia shook her head, "Not at all dear. I believe nine months is generous enough for maternity leave but you can come back beforehand if you feel that you can cope. And I'm sure everyone will be on hand to help look after the baby when he or she arrives... Do you have an inkling?" Amelia added, a twinkle in her pale blue eyes.

Edith smiled but Constance cut over her just as she was about to speak, apparently not realising that the younger witch was going to answer the question, "Edith will not have a psychic link to her baby quite yet, Headmistress. If the baby is to be a witch then the connection will form prior to labour. She cannot-"

"I meant," Amelia said coolly, "If Edith has a feeling whether it will be a boy or a girl."

"I would really love a little girl but... As long as the baby is happy that's all that matters." Edith stroked her barely-showing bump thoughtfully, "I should tell Jay the news," And with that she left the staff room to make a very important phone call.

As the staff meeting ended after they had covered the topic of Amanda Honeydew for the umpteenth time, Patricia stood up to leave.

"Where are you going?" Constance snapped, "You're on dinner duty tonight."

Amelia shook her head, "No she's not, dear. I've insisted that she goes to the doctor about these hot flashes of hers. You've tried nearly every magical remedy, bar bathing in the urine of a mule, but who wants to do that?"

Patricia gave an uneasy chuckle as she left the staff room, putting a hand into her pocket to pull out her appointment card.

"So," Constance said finally as she and Amelia were once again alone, "Edith's pregnant. How far along is she?"

"Four or five months." Answered Amelia.

"So four more months and there will be yet another screaming child raging around these hallowed halls. I can't say I'm looking forward to it."

Amelia sighed, "The child will remain with Edith for as long as she needs. If Jay decided he wishes to retire from the army to be with the family then that's what shall happen. Until then the child is welcome in this school for as long as Edith needs."

Constance scowled, twitching her eyebrows and giving a slight pout that Amelia knew so well, "Very well. Are we telling the girls?"

Amelia hadn't considered talking to the girls about Edith's pregnancy, "I'll leave it to Edith to make that decision."

X

"Miss Gimlet?"

It was a week since Patricia had been to the doctor about her hot flashes. She had been given tablets, hormone replacement tablets, to help with the symptoms of her menopause but she just seemed to be sinking into darkness. She sat at her desk, her chin resting on her clasped hands.

"Miss Gimlet?"

She looked up, "What's up, Amanda?"

Amanda Honeydew smiled kindly at her teacher, "You were in a world of your own. I was just wondering if I could use the soldering iron?"

Patricia nodded, saying very quietly, "Yes, flower. Switch it off at the wall when yeh done with it."

Furrowing her brow, Amanda returned to her friends wondering what was wrong with the usually happy-go-lucky Miss Gimlet. After a while she dismissed the thought from her mind but Patricia just sat staring into space, her knees juddering beneath the desk.

What was wrong with her? She had never, ever felt like this before... Except maybe once. Her mind went back to a time when she was a child, no older than ten. It was during the war and she was on her way back from school. She could hear the air sirens like cannon blasts, as though they were outside the classroom, the screams of mothers trying to keep their children close as droning planes flew overhead.

During the war she and her mother moved to the city for some reason, she couldn't remember why. Perhaps to be closer to her mother's ageing parents. The six years they had lived in the city were a blur now; a blur of bleak, dark evenings riddled with anxiety, wondering when the next bomb would hit and how close it would be to the house.

She remembered on a winter's day back in 1940 she had been on her way home and had bumped into a man she didn't recognise asking for directions. Of course she didn't know where he wanted to go so she just told him to go completely the wrong way. Later that week she found out that a building on the route she had sent him on had been destroyed in an air raid that day. She feared that she may have caused his death. It wasn't a pleasant burden to bear at ten years old.

The bell for the end of lesson rang and Patricia sighed as the third years left and the second years came in for their form lesson.

Constance followed the queue of students and sat down behind the desk beside Patricia.

"How are your hot flashes, Miss Gimlet?" She asked quietly, seeing that her colleague was looking drawn and rather more tired than usual. Her normally makeup smothered face was bare today and she looked as though the weight of the world was on her shoulders.

Patricia shrugged, "They've stopped." She said shortly.

Constance nodded, "Good. Well perhaps things will start settling down now. Now girls," She announced to the class, "Today we are going to be arranging next week's school concert. I hope you are all prepared for what Miss Bat has planned for all of you."

There was a collective sigh from the girls who were just recovering from the excitement of Amanda Honeydew hitting Constance with her broom the month before. Since then the support had come off Constance's arm however there was still some healing to do. She was struggling to cast spells properly but she was getting there. It was frustrating for her, she had to admit, but she was very good at not letting it show.

"She has chosen a chant called _The Bard of Castle Overblow_. Well that sounds promising," She said the last comment under her breath, "And as is tradition the staff will also perform as a group, however this year Miss Bat and Miss Cackle, for some unknown reason, have decided to leave it in the hands of the students to make the decision."

The girls seemed to perk up at this comment, imagining their teachers dressed up in girl band outfits.

"Ooh!" Patricia perked up suddenly, "We could dress up as Fleetwood Mac! There are five of us!"

Constance narrowed her eyes, "Yes and in Fleetwood Mac there are only two women."

"Well yeah but Edith could be Christine McVie, Davina could be Stevie Nicks and the rest of us could work it out. I reckon Amelia would make a good Mick Fleetwood, you'd be John McVie and I would be Lindsey Buckingham!" Patricia beamed for the first time in a week, "It'd be a laugh! Howay, man!"

Constance looked at the students who all seemed confused, having never heard of Fleetwood Mac or any of the names that had been mentioned. However it did seem to make one half of their form teachers happy so they nodded.

"Very well. I'll propose this idea to Miss Cackle. I doubt it will be selected but we shall see." And Constance left the room to tell Amelia to not-so-good news.

"I love the idea!" Amelia cried when Constance told her what Patricia had suggested, "It's entertaining and educational for the girls. They could learn about the music that Davina and Patricia enjoy."

Constance stared dumbfounded at Amelia, not quite believing what she was hearing. A frivolous display like the one Patricia had suggested would not go down well with the parents and no doubt they would sound like banshees screeching on the stage, Davina twirling around with a tambourine and imitating the husky voice of that Stevie woman...

"There are more ideas to come no doubt but this is a fantastic one. I'll jot it down for later on. Now," Amelia waved her pen at Constance, "I have something to ask of you, a favour. Would you be able to sit in on the interview I have later with Miss Skylark? I know she's your rival in the running for the deputy head post but I need your opinion on her before I go any further with her in this process."

Constance nodded glumly as she left the office, returning an hour later to be greeted by a woman with thick curly black hair wearing a red blazer.

"Dear me," Constance muttered as she sat down, "You must be Miss Skylark?"

The woman nodded. She had large front teeth that protruded over her badly drawn on red lips. Constance noted that her eyebrows seemed to join ever so slightly in the middle. She turned to Amelia, giving her a sly look.

"So Miss Skylark, as you are aware you have made it through to the second round of the interviews which is fantastic," Amelia said, pulling out Miss Skylark's file, "Do you mind if I call you Carmen?"

Carmen nodded again.

"Can you speak, Miss Skylark?" Constance asked, "You won't be able to nod for the whole interview."

Carmen shook her head.

Constance repressed an ironic laugh as Amelia continued with the interview, Carmen shaking and nodding her head, never speaking or answering questions. After the interview was over and Carmen had left, Constance snorted loudly.

"What?" Amelia asked, "What are you laughing at?"

Constance composed herself, "She looks like a mute holiday camp representative! We can't hire her, Amelia."

"Don't judge a book by its cover, Constance. She has sixteen years teaching experience in a school not far from here and has been deputy head of that school for three of those years."

With a little chuckle to herself, Constance asked, "How did you find that out?"

"Well it's all on her CV," Answered Amelia.

"So she didn't tell you any of this?" Constance enquired. Amelia shook her head. Constance rolled her eyes, "Not you too!"

X

It was the afternoon staff meeting. Edith was busying herself looking through baby magazines and Patricia and Davina were excitedly discussing the ideas that had been proposed by the students.

"What do you think of this?" Edith asked, passing Patricia a magazine, her slender finger directed towards a yellow pram with large white wheels and a chrome handle.

"It's beautiful," Patricia commented, "But I have my old pram upstairs. It looks just like that. You can have it if you'd like."

"Oh, Trish!" Edith said brightly, wrapping her arms around her friend, "Thank you."

Davina sipped her tea as Edith and Patricia pulled apart, "I can knit the baby some clothes, some shawls and blankets. I'm so excited for you!"

Edith stroked her flat-ish tummy, "Not long. Four months and he or she will be here."

"Does your Mother know?" Davina asked, peering over Patricia's shoulder at the baby magazine.

Blinking, Edith said, "You know I haven't told- Trish are you okay?"

Patricia was visibly shaking as she looked at the baby magazines, sobbing loudly. She nodded, but Davina put an arm around her friend.

"Oh God, of course." Edith took the magazine away from her and looked into her pale blue eyes with her deep, hazel ones, "Listen don't start thinking about kids, Patricia."

She frowned, "Well it's canny hard, like. You bein' pregnant, bein' surrounded by young 'uns all day," she let out a dry sob and wiped her eyes, "I've never had a kid of me own and it's..." She sniffed loudly, "It's just occurin' to es now I cannet have kids anymore."

Edith patted Patricia's hand gently, "You've got me," she said sweetly.

"Yeah well you aren't me daughter are ye?" Patricia snapped, "Ye just some lass I work with."

"I know but you're as good as a mother to me. You're there when I need you, you make sure I'm okay. You've even given me your old pram!" Edith smiled at Patricia who was appearing to calm down, "See, you're just as good as a mother to me. And the girls love you too."

The staff room door opened. Amelia stood with a top hat full of folded up pieces of paper, Constance following her as they sat down.

"Are we ready for this?" Amelia asked, "Once the decision has been made there is no turning back?"

The staff nodded, Patricia rubbing her puffy eyes as they lent in, watching as Amelia pulled out a small piece of paper. She stretched out the paper on the table and it read _Fleetwood Mac_.

* * *

 ** _A/N: Ooh so Edith's pregnant, the teachers are going to performing in the school concert - what could possibly go wrong?!_**

 ** _Hope you enjoyed this chapter, thank you for reading :D_**


	10. Drum Beats and Waistcoats

**_A/N: Sorry for not posting last week! I was having some issues uploading files from my laptop but all seems to be working now. Hope you enjoy today's update!_**

* * *

"Oh for goodness sake." Constance said dramatically, "I was hoping that the third years' idea would be picked."

"I like this idea, though." Davina piped up, already selecting her outfit for the concert.

Rolling her eyes, Constance leant back in her chair. Edith smiled brightly, "Can I be Christine McVie?"

Patricia looked smug as she turned to Constance, knowing full well that her idea would go down a treat with the students.

It did in fact get an amazing response from the students after Amelia stated that she and Constance would be wearing fake beards, as suggested by Davina. The girls didn't have a clue who exactly Fleetwood Mac were but the thought of their headmistress and Miss Hardbroom wearing fake beards made them all rather excited.

"Facial hair?!" Constance erupted, " _Facial_ hair?!"

Obviously she was ready to blow a fuse at the suggestion of wearing a false beard, either tied or glued to her face, in order to stand on stage as a member of a band she didn't particularly know a lot about, all for the amusement of the students.

"Well John and Mick both have beards," Davina explained, "It has to be as accurate as possible."

Amelia furrowed her eyebrows, "It will be funny, Constance," she said, watching as Constance paced around the staff room, her eyes wide with rage, her jaw clenched, "Come on. Sit down and we can talk about it."

Davina started to sing in a mumbled voice to herself, practising her impression of Stevie Nicks for the concert on Wednesday. Edith too also began singing to herself, pretending that she was holding an accordian. Patricia, on the other hand, had hold of a stick of celery and was nibbling on the end of it.

"So what exactly does this band sing about?" Constance asked. Admittedly she had never really heard anything by Fleetwood Mac apart from what Davina and Patricia sang, albeit poorly, and she never quite understood the purpose of the band. In her mind musicians sang about topics, although Constance really only listened to classical music these days.

Patricia frowned, "Well there's a lot of songs about love but there's not a set topic that they-"

"So they're a mish-mash?" Constance asked, "They don't have a set demographic of people they're trying to target so they sing about whatever they wish. That's one way to ruin your career overnight I suppose."

Edith's eyes were alight with flame, "How dare you?" She cried, seeming for a moment like a woman possessed with rage, "They're a fantastic band and bring a lot of joy to my friends!"

"Here, here!" Patricia boomed, but realising she was on her own in saying this, she shuffled uncomfortably.

Constance recoiled in her seat, "Very well. Perhaps I have spoken too soon however until I listen to them properly, without the crowing of our resident fanatics, I cannot pass a valid comment on their talents."

Edith settled herself back down but her cheeks were flushed. She stroked her tiny bump, still glowering with anger.

"Well we'll make the necessary preparations for the performance shall we?" Amelia said, trying to move the topic on, "Which songs shall be performed?"

Davina beamed, "Well I think that all three vocalists should be given a chance to shine so myself, Trish and Edith will sing one song each. I've picked my favourite song by Stevie Nicks."

Patricia smirked, "Plenty of opportunities for shawl swirlin' there, flower." She cleared her throat, "I was thinkin' of singin' Go Your Own Way. It's one everyone knows-"

"I don't." Interjected Constance.

"Well ye're a special case. But the girls will know it so they can join in. Edith?"

Edith looked down at the table for a few moments, considering her options. To be able to perform as one of her favourite musicians was an opportunity she had not been expecting, and in her current state she was muddled. Did she go for an up-tempo song or something slower?

She drummed a pencil off the edge of the table, pouting her lips as she thought, the clock ticking loudly in her ears.

"Well?" Amelia said finally, "Have you thought of something?"

Edith looked up, "I don't know. I don't want to go for a song that's overplayed, like Everywhere. It's a good song but I've heard it so many times..."

She thought for a little while longer, muttering ideas to herself until eventually she leapt out of her seat, "I know!"

Amelia looked alarmed, "Edith, calm down dear."

"You Make Loving Fun!" She cried, her eyes wide with excitement, looking at Trish who appeared slightly alarmed.

"I do?" Patricia muttered, then her eyes lit up, "Oh right! Yeah!"

Davina jumped out of her chair and waved her arms in front of her like a school girl. Patricia too looked rather excited but was too tired to get out of her chair. Constance and Amelia looked at each other in confusion, wondering what on Earth the three teachers were so excited about.

They found out why the three friends were so excited when it came to the performance in front of the students. Constance and Amelia had glued on their beards and emerged from the make shift dressing room looking rather bizarre. Constance wore a white hat and a grey waistcoat while Amelia dressed with a small scarf tucked into her shirt, both with fake, greying beards glued to their faces.

Edith, who had bought a bobbed blonde wig for the occasion, snorted loudly at the sight of the pair of them.

"That's... Wow." She chuckled just as Patricia appeared with a short, brown curly wig on her head.

"You know, I think Constance actually really suits a beard." Patricia announced loudly, much to the amusement of the students nearby.

"If you want to remain fit and well for the main production, Miss Gimlet, I would watch your tongue," Constance growled, flexing her fingers. Patricia took the hint.

Swirling from another room came a mass of black shawls and thick, blonde hair. Crowing and croaking, Davina stopped in her tracks, looking at her colleagues.

"Well this looks promising. Though I think Constance would make a better Mick Fleetwood. She has the height doesn't she?" She asked, turning to Patricia, who nodded.

"Plus she could put all that rage into pretending to drum." Patricia added, wincing as Constance glared at her, "Howay, lass. D'ye wanna be Mick or John?"

"I don't care as long as I don't have to sing."

"Fine you can be Mick," Patricia instructed, "The drummer? Oh for fu-"

Davina untucked Amelia's scarf and wrapped it around Constance's neck then took the hat from Constance's head and gave it to Amelia just as the school bell clanged loudly.

"Looks like we're on," Said Amelia, checking her watch, "Are we ready?"

The five teachers emerged and took their places. They were greeted by the sound of applause and brilliant white light. Constance scratched her chin, her skin irritated by the stuck on beard just as Patricia went to the microphone and did her best attempt at an American accent, pretending to be her current obsession; Lindsey Buckingham.

After she moved into position the music began and she began to sing in flat, wavering tones. Constance pretended to play the drums as Patricia wailed and shrieked.

It was soon time for Davina to take centre stage and she began to sing in a husky voice, impersonating the singer she was pretending to be. She span her shawl around her like a tornado of silk, twirling and turning, until she fell into Constance's drum kit. With a clatter of cymbals and the booming of drums, Constance was thrown backwards from her stool but managed to climb out of the way before the drum kit collapsed on top of her.

She stood up, half of the fake beard hanging from her face as she looked down at the flailing legs of Davina Bat poking out of the bass drum.

"Well really?!" She cried, ripping what remained of the fake beard off her face, "Perhaps, Miss Cackle, it is time for the girls to take over?"

Amelia frowned to herself, "Very well. Let's tidy this mess up and the girls can perform. Amanda Honeydew?"

A blonde head popped up in amongst the crowd of students.

"Come backstage and get ready will you?" Amelia asked kindly, "Perhaps you can show us older witches how a proper performance is done. And Davina," she turned to the chanting mistress who was now wearing the bass drum like a tutu, "I shall forget what has happened for what is left of the evening, however I expect to see you in my office in the morning."

Constance raised an eyebrow, flicking her casting fingers at the drum kit that returned to its original position seemingly undamaged, minus the bass drum, as she followed Amelia and the other staff off the stage. Amelia peeled off her fake beard slowly and then assisted Davina out of the drum-skirt before taking the seats allocated to them. Constance sat beside Amelia, sighing loudly as Amanda Honeydew took to the stage.

The morning after the concert Davina was up bright and early for her meeting with Amelia. She wore a black lace dress and her messy hair was plaited around her crown. She looked into the mirror at herself, pushing her glasses up her nose.

"Something's missing..." She muttered to herself, looking over at her pet snake Medusa who was busy eating her breakfast of crickets and mealworms, "I know!"

And Davina rushed out of her bedroom and down towards the forest behind the school. She ran over to a patch of grass and began picking daisies, trying to select the ones with longer stems, and then she rushed back to her room and threaded the daisies into her braid.

There was a knock at her bedroom door.

"Mornin', rose petal," Patricia said croakily, "How ye diddlin' today?" She let herself into the room and sat down on Davina's bed.

"Very well, thank you. I'm just getting ready for my meeting with Amelia."

"Ah right," Patricia sighed, looking up at her friend, "She'll be canny with ye, man. She cannet sack ye for fallin' into a drum kit."

X

"...This isn't the first time we've faced behaviour like this from Davina. Personally I think we should find an immediate replacement for the job. In fact, I believe Edith will be more than capable."

Amelia looked up at Constance as she paced around the staff room, looming over her like a leather clad shadow.

"Are you praising Edith?" Asked Amelia, sounding almost as though she was in disbelief, "You two don't really see eye to eye but-"

"It's not a case of _that_ at all, Amelia. No, I just feel that she's more competent, and perhaps better suited to an artistic environment than our resident luna-"

There was a knock at the door and Amelia called to whomever it was knocking. It was Davina wearing a crown of flowers in her dishevelled, mousy hair. Constance's mouth fell open at the sight of her, shooting Amelia a meaning glance. The headmistress returned her concerned look but brushed off her thoughts. Asking Davina to resign or retire was simply unfair. She was a good teacher, slightly eccentric, but the school would never be the same without her.

Amelia had no intention of dismissing Davina but, to keep Constance happy, she followed the disciplinary procedure as instructed.

"Was your behaviour really appropriate?" She asked, folding her hands in front of her, "Given that it was in front of the girls?"

Davina shrank in her chair, looking briefly like one of the student herself, "Well it was in character, I suppose. I mean, the swirling, not the falling into the drum kit."

Constance rolled her eyes as she looked across the desk at Davina, "Miss Bat, I doubt it is appropriate for a senior witch to be standing on the stage in front of impressionable girls behaving like a demented toddler. It was incredibly embarrassing to watch and furthermore-"

"If Davina says it's in character for Stevie Nicks then it's in character," Interjected Amelia, "However, you aren't Stevie Nicks are you?"

Davina bit her bottom lip, "No..." She mumbled.

Amelia gave a kind smile, "Well, that's settled then. No more cloak swirling, Davina. Would you like a biscuit?" She took a biscuit tin from her desk drawer and passed it to Davina. Her eyes lit up with delight at the sight of the trove of biscuits; chocolate bourbons, custard creams, jammy dodgers, chocolate fingers, chocolate chip cookies, hobnobs...

"Condoning bad behaviour with sweets, Amelia!" Constance snapped, snatching away the biscuit tin, "I expected better from you."

Amelia pouted, "I was only offering her a biscuit. It wasn't like I was giving her a pat on the back for throwing herself into the drum."

"And they aren't sweets," Davina added. Seeing the look on Constance's face, however, she squeaked and raced off to the staff room no doubt to take up residence, once again, in her cupboard.

Edith was sat alone in the staff room when the whirlwind of lace burst through the door and charged towards the cupboard. She seemed unaware of it, having grown accustomed to Davina's frequent outbursts and need for her own space, or lack of as Edith had examined the stationary cupboard herself and she had discovered that it was quite cramped.

She was busying herself writing to her Mother about her news. Currently her Mother was hiking in the Himalayas and she knew the best way to get hold of her was with a letter. It would be waiting on the door mat when she got home from her trip, which would be at some point in June – right around the time that Jay would be home again.

 _Dear Mum,_

 _How are you? I hope you enjoyed your trip abroad. Do you have pictures? More to the point – do you have any souvenirs?_

 _Work is going exceptionally well. I've made some great friends; two of them are just as wacky as I am! Davina is so artistic and sweet and Patricia, well... Patricia is lovely in her own way. She means well but often puts her foot in it._

 _Jay and I have some news for you so please call me at work the minute you open this letter, okay?_

 _Lots of love, Edith._

After she read through the letter a few times, Edith smiled to herself as she folded it and placed it carefully inside an envelope.

It still hadn't quite sunk in... She was carrying a baby. For five months she had been pregnant and she hadn't even realised! It made her question how well she actually knew her own body to not realise that what was wrong with her was in fact a pregnancy rather than cold after cold after cold.

There was a soft miaowing from her ankles. Gaia blinked, her blue eyes wide as they gazed up at her. She patted her lap and the fluffy cat curled up into a ball and began to purr loudly, enjoying the gentle stroking of her back before her peace was disturbed by the staff room door bursting open.

"Hi Trish- What's up with you?"

Patricia had a face like thunder, her cheeks puffed out and her skin scarlet.

"I wanna know if what I heard in that office is bloody true!" Patricia barked, "Where the Hell is Davina?"

There was a muffled noise from the stationary cupboard.

"Get ye backside outta there now!"

With a yelp Davina tumbled out of the cupboard, landing on the floor with a graceless thud. She looked up at Patricia, who appeared less than impressed.

"Is it true?" She snapped.

Davina blinked, "Is what true?"

With a frustrated growl, Patricia pulled Davina to her feet, "About Hardbroom wantin' to get ye sacked for what happened last night!"

Davina nodded meekly just as the staff room door opened again.

"YOU!" Patricia screeched, pointing her index finger dangerously at Constance as she entered the room followed by Amelia. She stormed towards her, standing nearly nose to nose with the tall potions mistress, "If I ever hear that you've been treatin' my best mate like that again I'll have your guts fer garters, alright?!"

Constance seemed completely impassive, blinking at Patricia who was still standing in front of her, her casting finger extended, "This medication is having a terrible effect on you, Miss Gimlet. Perhaps a cup of tea and a sit down will do you-"

"Smackin' you in the face would do me some good, you self righteous bliddy- Oh, I'm goin' to me room. I don't even wanna look at ye! " Raising her hands to her shoulders, Patricia left the room, leaving the others to tidy up the figurative mess.

Amelia sighed deeply as she sat down, "If I'm honest I was expecting that."

Constance joined her at the table, "Perhaps not to that extent but I have to say that I was expecting some sort of misbehaviour following what just happened."

"What happened?" Edith asked, appearing somewhat confused. It had gone by so quickly she had barely had time to blink. Constance explained everything to her, "Well sacking Davina for falling into a drum is like sacking Patricia for being from the North. Davina's clumsy, it's part of her personality, Constance. You can't punish her for that."

"For being herself no, but for damaging school property yes. Amelia, you were not firm enough with your discipline and now look at what's happened-"

"Constance Hardbroom!" Amelia boomed. The volume of the headmistress' voice shocked Constance who jumped suddenly, "You have always been out for yourself, you never once thought about anyone other than yourself. You never consider how your actions affect anyone else. This is my school and you have no authority to tell me how to run it and how to discipline my staff!"

Constance narrowed her eyes, straightening in her seat, "What exactly do you mean?"

Amelia pursed her lips, the skin beneath her eyes white with rage, her pale blue eyes like slits. She clenched her fists tightly, seemingly trembling as she whispered, "You will never be deputy headmistress of this school."


	11. The Disappearance of Constance Hardbroom

Constance vanished in a puff of smoke in the wake of Amelia's words, still echoing around the room. Edith stared in shock, Davina stood by the stationary cupboard, waiting for an excuse to go back in.

Amelia however seemed completely calm again and took to pouring herself a glass of water.

"Are we not going to talk about what just happened?" Asked Edith, her hazel eyes still fixed on the spot that Constance had been occupying only moments before.

Amelia shook her head, "There is nothing more to say on the matter."

Edith cast a look to Davina who realised that it was safe to sit back down again, a daisy falling from her braid as she did so.

Nobody was prepared for Amelia's outburst, least of all Constance who felt that the job had been hers and that Amelia was just following procedure. Apparently she had been wrong. Though Amelia seemed perfectly calm there was a storm raging inside of her – a storm of anger and sadness. She was sick and tired of being told what to do but at the same time she could see how she had led Constance to believe that she would have the deputy job by September. They were conflicting, the voice of kindness and the voice of reason, and it made her even more irritated. She had no idea how to feel. She hadn't felt like this since she lost Alice all those years ago... back when Nicholas had been alive.

He would have known what to do.

"Amelia," Edith said softly, "Can I get you anything?"

Amelia shook her head, biting her lip as she sipped her water.

"Perhaps we should give her some space," Davina whispered to Edith who nodded and followed the chanting mistress out of the staff room and into the cold corridor.

The two women sighed in unison, looking at each other with concern in their eyes. They both disliked seeing Amelia so wound up. She was normally so calm so to see her at breaking point meant that something was seriously wrong.

"Should we check on Trish?" Suggested Edith. Davina nodded and they walked down the corridor and up the staircase towards the dormitories, "Everyone seems to be turning on Constance, even Amelia."

"I'm sure that's not the case," Davina muttered, tapping lightly on Patricia's bedroom door. There was a grunt from inside and the door swung open just as Davina said, "She's just not very good at expressing herself."

"Ye're talkin' about her, aren't ye?" Patricia sneered, stepping away from the door and letting Edith and Davina through. They could hear faint music on the boom box on top of the wardrobe as they entered the room. The two shared a look. Patricia sat down by the window, stroking her cat as she glared up at them, "Has she sent ye to give es an apology?"

Davina sat down on the bed, looking across at Patricia, "After nearly sixteen years of friendship I thought you'd know me better than that, Patricia."

This was the first time in a long time that Davina had actually addressed the older witch by her full name and she looked quite startled.

"So why're ye here then?" She asked, flicking a strand of her grey-blonde hair out of her eyes.

"Because we want to make sure you're okay!" Announced Edith, "It's not everyday that the most relaxed teacher in the whole school has a bad turn like that."

Patricia pursed her lips. For a moment she was silent, listening to the music on the boom box which sounded like a kind of jig, very unlike her tastes. Finally she spoke, "Well thanks but I'll be fine on me own, ta."

Davina frowned and was about to speak but then Edith asked, "Come on, Trish. We know that you're upset by what happened but if Davina can let it go then so can you. It wasn't your job that was being threatened."

"It's the principle though!" Patricia cried, "Howay. It could've been you that was on the choppin' block," She waved a hand at Edith, "And with ye young 'un on the way ye don't want that do ye? We need to stand up to her."

Edith rubbed her stomach, "You're right." She sat down on the bed beside Davina, "But is aggression the right way to go about it?"

Patricia nodded, "With people like her it's the only way to get ye point across. If ye passive she'll eat ye alive. She has no business tellin' us what to do, she's got no authority at this school!"

Davina looked up at her friend. This sounded so out of character for her. Normally she was so relaxed and supportive, especially of Constance who she had taken under wing to an extent. Something was wrong and Davina was putting it down to her medication – it wasn't uncommon for witches to be badly affected by mortal medication, especially those that meddled with the hormonal balance of the body.

"If we approach her in a hostile way this situation will only repeat itself," Edith explained as she and Davina left Patricia's bedroom, "We don't want to do any damage to the friendship between Constance and Amelia. I feel that Amelia is the only person Constance sees as a friend."

"She has us," Davina squeaked.

Edith rolled her eyes, "We are her friends, yes, but she doesn't see us as such. She doesn't trust us like she trusts Amelia." Then a thought occurred to Edith and she smiled, a twitch at the corner of her lip.

"So what are you saying?"

She looked down to Davina, "We ask Amelia to help us find Constance."

X

"We know you and Constance have had a falling out but please give her a second chance. If we fix things now we might be able to stop any hostility in its tracks," Edith explained to the headmistress who was busying herself writing a list of things to do over the weekend. Edith knelt down by the desk, "Please Amelia."

Amelia looked over her white framed spectacles at Edith and into the wide, twinkling hazel eyes. She sighed, taking off her glasses, "How can I say no to those puppy dog eyes?"

Edith pushed herself to her feet and grinned at Davina who had been sceptical about the plan but somehow she had managed to pull it off.

"It's just a case of finding out where exactly she's vanished off to," Amelia stated, "She does have a habit of appearing in odd places. Do you have any ideas?" She turned to look at Edith who furrowed her brow.

She bit her lip, trying to remember, "Well one time she was sitting by the pond in the woods. She might be there again." Edith pondered for a moment, "But she may be somewhere else. If she doesn't want to be found I'm sure she'll use another hiding place."

They stepped into the corridor and greeted the third year students, headed by Amanda Honeydew, as they discussed their plans.

X

"...This is going to be so exciting," Amanda beamed as she held her new spell-book in front of her. She and her friends stepped into the empty spells classroom and she slammed the book down on one of the desks, dust billowing from beneath it. She flicked open the cover and smiled, "Which spell should we cast first?"

Her friend Lucia wasn't sure about casting spells without the permission of the teachers, "Where exactly did you get the book from anyway?"

Amanda smirked, "My Dad bought it for me, of course. He wants me to do well and that's what I'm going to do. So which spell should we cast? A spell for good luck, a spell to turn someone's skin green – we can use that one on H.B," Jasmine laughed at Amanda's comment, "Ooh, here's one!"

She pointed at the page and Jasmine and Lucia looked down at the spell. Both of their eyes widened as they shared a concerned look.

"Mandy..." Jasmine said warily, "I'm not sure about that one."

Lucia nodded, "It does sound a bit too risky for my liking."

Amanda tilted her head, "Don't be silly. It's not like anything can go wrong. Here's the spell to get rid of it once we've had our fun." And she muttered the spell under her breath, moving her hand in a circular motion. Slowly a cloud of green smoke filled the room and Amanda Honeydew stared into the yellow eyes of the beast.

X

"Constance!" Amelia called, tapping on the locked bedroom door, "Are you in there?"

There was no answer except for the miaowing of Morgana, Constance's beautiful black cat, who had just leapt through the bedroom window. Amelia sighed as she turned away from the door.

"Any luck?" She asked Edith as they met in the staff room.

"No," Edith replied, "We've searched the potions lab, the woods, you've been to her room... I can't think of anywhere else. She could be anywhere if she's turned invisible though."

Davina looked around the room nervously. Patricia, who had been recruited into the search party rather reluctantly, kicked her under the table.

"Have ye checked the village?" She suggested, "I mean when I'm in a mood normally I go to the pub for a drink or summet like that."

Amelia smiled sympathetically, "Constance isn't like that but it's a good suggestion," she sighed and sat back in her chair, "I'm sure she'll reappear when she's ready."

Edith, however, was having none of it. She got to her feet and slammed her hands on the table, "You are meant to be her friends and you are leaving her to be by herself when she needs you most!"

Her cheeks were flushed as she looked down at her colleagues. They all looked rather shocked.

"I don't know what the Hell happened to her to make her this way but I am not letting her be by herself when people who say they're her friends are pushing her away and making her feel unwanted," She glanced at Amelia as she spoke, "I'm going to look for her by myself."

"Edith-" But it was too late. By the time Amelia had called after the English teacher the staff room door had closed.

Davina looked down at the table, her hands shaking nervously. Her instincts were telling her to scurry into the cupboard but she knew she needed to stay strong. Edith looking for Constance by herself frightened her. She had grown so fond of the newest member of staff that seeing her so riled up made her concerned, especially as she was now five months pregnant.

"It won't be doing the baby any good getting this stressed," Amelia stated, she went to stand up but Patricia placed a staying hand on Amelia's shoulder.

"Let her do it on her own," Said Patricia, "Bein' by herself might let her calm down. It's not like she needs protectin' from the students."

X

Edith was alone in the corridor leading towards the classrooms when she saw a trail of green smoke. She blinked, wondering if for a moment she was hallucinating, however the sight didn't disappear when she opened her eyes again. She followed the trail which took her to the spells classroom. She opened the door and was smothered in the green fog.

"What on Earth?" She muttered to herself as she flicked her casting fingers to clear the smoke. It was no use. She tried again, and still no change.

She raked through her mind, trying to work out what exactly was happening. She grasped at her skirt, pulling it up to her calves to avoid getting any more smoke on it as she stepped back into the now foggy corridor.

Where were the students? All of the other teachers were in the staff room. Constance had gone A.W.O.L and she was out here, what could be occupying the students?

Her questions were answered when she went to the library. It appeared that all of the girls were asleep on the tables. Edith tried to rouse them up but it was no use. She shook them, shouting for them to wake up but nothing seemed to work.

She left the library, wondering if the girls had been slipped a sleeping potion. According to Davina it had happened once before on April Fool's Day a few years ago and Constance grudgingly had to fix everything... Just as she turned to close the door she felt someone walk into her.

"Miss Greene!" It was Amanda and her friends Jasmine and Lucia.

"Hello girls," Edith said wearily, "How come you are all awake?"

The three girls looked at each other, "We... What do you mean?"

Edith tilted her head to one side, considering the girls in front of her, "Well the whole school, bar the teachers and you three are asleep in the library. Please explain to me what is going on?"

Amanda frowned to herself. Lucia bit her lip, "We cast a spell."

"A sleeping spell?" Edith asked, "A sleeping potion exists, yes, but not a sleeping spell." Then she remembered her real reason to be out in the corridors, "You haven't seen Miss Hardbroom have you?"

The girls looked at each other again, "No, Miss."

Edith nodded and then just as she was about to leave the girls to their walk through the castle, she turned to look at them again, "Oh before I forget! Lucia, what kind of spell did you cast?"

Lucia, the meeker of the three girls, bowed her head submissively, "It was... It was-"

"It was a spell to turn a cat into a monkey!" Amanda cried sounding uncomfortably tense. Then with a nervous chuckle she said, "Okay, let's go!" She grabbed the arms of her friends and tried to get away but Edith forestalled them.

"Wait just a minute," Edith said very softly, "That still doesn't explain why everyone is asleep. Now I want you to be honest with me here – what spell did you cast?"

There was a look exchanged between the girls. Finally Lucia answered, her voice quavering, "It was the Voca Morriganus."

* * *

 _ **A/N: Oh dear. So what's going on with Amanda and where is Constance? All will be revealed next Saturday! Hope you enjoyed this chapter.**_


	12. Broken Minds and Dark Magic

_**A/N: So this chapter takes place directly after chapter ten but it's from Constance's perspective. Hope you enjoy!**_

* * *

Constance folded her arms and with a puff of smoke she reappeared in the woods beyond the castle grounds. She walked between the trees, feeling the crunching of twigs beneath her boot-clad feet as she ran her fingers across moss-covered bark, wanting to feel something. The news that had been relayed to her during the headmistress' outburst had made her numb.

She was never going to be deputy...

Amelia's words rang in her ears like church bells – harsh and unforgiving, all of the things Amelia wasn't. She had been forward, abrasive... everything a headmistress should have been. For a fraction of a moment Amelia Cackle had proven herself to be the leader that the school deserved, the deputy headmistress that Constance wanted to be. Now she was out of the running for that. There would be a stranger walking into the office on a morning, a stranger delivering speeches alongside Amelia during the morning assembly – a woman without a face but Constance hated her anyway. That job was meant to be hers. _Was._

She wondered if perhaps Amelia had been considering her for the role before their argument in the staff room. Maybe she had been leading her down the garden path, giving her false hope of a promotion, without any intention of actually making Constance her second-in-command. This seemed more likely, she was never destined for happiness or greatness or to be in any position of power.

Constance kept walking, walking until she reached the edge of the forest and the path leading to the village of Old Noxby. There was no destination, she just wanted to get away, to escape. She had always wanted to escape – to escape her father, to escape Broomhead... Now she was escaping Amelia - the one person she had never imagined wishing to escape from.

The wind struck her face like a cannon blast of ice as she stepped out of the protective veil of woodland, walking down the familiar path towards the cottages. Her cottage sat just at the middle of the terrace. It wasn't hers any more but a part of her still felt like it was.

Constance walked past it, lingering for a moment. The garden had been dug up and replaced with a patio, the buddleia around the front of the house cut back. It was unrecognisable. It was cold, heartless... Not the home that Constance remembered.

In the window sat a little tabby cat, blinking slowly at her as she walked away, tears prickling her eyes.

I won't cry, I will not cry, she told herself.

For what felt like an age she just did loops around the village, walking backwards and forwards, down one side of the street and up the other. Thoughts clouded her mind, feelings that she hadn't felt in so long; worthlessness, fear... She had always felt lonely. She could have been in a room full of people and still felt lonely. Constance knew she would never fit in, no matter how hard she tried. It got to a point where she was just too tired to keep trying.

Patricia was just too boisterous for her, Davina was too eccentric, Edith was kind but she was fickle. Amelia was the only person Constance felt like she had a connection with but... she was wrong.

She stopped for a moment just outside the newsagents and sat down on a rusty bench. Her legs were shaking, her hands sweating. Had she not sat down she may have just burst into tears. Time to think was dangerous, she was better off burying her head in the sand and pretending that everything was okay, putting on the chain-mail armour that she wore everyday. It was too late now. She was submerged in her own thoughts, thoughts of losing what she and Amelia had built; the trust, the friendship, the love Constance had for this wonderful woman who had taken her under her wing and had protected her when life seemed so bleak. When the imminent threat of self destruction seemed so great Amelia had been there to stop her from pressing the red button that would end it all. Now that red button seemed so tempting, so welcoming, like an old friend waiting for her with open arms.

No..., Constance told herself, stop thinking like that.

Constance never knew her mother, Amelia had never had children... They found each other in a dark period in both of their lives and somehow they helped one another recover. At least that's how Constance saw it. Now however she was pushing her away and she had pushed her so far that she was now, once again, alone.

Alone.

Something Constance had always felt, in all her years on planet Earth, she had only ever felt truly in company when she and Amelia were together. No amount of fair-weathered friends would be able to substitute the relationship that she had built up with the headmistress over these twelve years. No amount of people beforehand, offering her the hand of friendship, could suffice. From a young age she had always wished to isolate herself and for so long she had resisted. Now she was receding back into her shell where she belonged; out of sight, out of mind, out of the way.

"Constance!" A voice called down the bank towards her.

She looked up, seeing a mass of floating shawls and skirts waving at her. She closed her eyes and sighed. The mass of clothing finally stopped running and halted, panting beside her.

"Can I sit down?" Asked Edith, "That is one steep hill."

Constance nodded, not saying a word as Edith sat down with a groan.

"That feels better," She sighed, "You know, being five months pregnant does come with its perks but honestly I think I may have nearly given myself black eyes going down that bank." She stroked her nearly flat stomach tenderly and with a little chuckle to herself, continued, "It's a shame I'm not showing more. Apparently the baby is laying quite far back. It'll need a lounge chair if it lays any further back... What brings you out here anyway?" She asked, changing the topic.

Constance snorted, "It's quite clear, Edith, why I'm sat on my own away from the school and should I be under the impression that you have been sent out here to fetch me back? I'm not wanted at that school, so I'm staying away."

Edith smiled sweetly, "I feel like we've had this conversation before," She tucked a strand of her long, blonde hair behind her ear, "So we won't cover old ground. The situation with Davina, do you mind if I voice my opinion on this?" Constance shook her head, sighing, "Okay. I think Davina is just very clumsy, she can't help it. Fair enough she did damage school property bur it could have been worse. She could have been injured or worse. It was quite funny what happened, but someone could have been seriously hurt-"

"That's the point I was trying to make to-"

Edith shushed her, "The fact, however, is that no one was hurt were they? We can learn from it, put things in place so this never happens again but just look back on the day with fond memories rather than negativity. Come on, Davina stuck in a drum? What's not funny about that?"

Constance ground her teeth, "She's far too eccentric and unprofessional for that school. It will happen again with something else and next time someone _will_ get hurt."

Edith rolled her eyes, "Stop predicting the future. You don't know what's around the corner do you? Well except the chip shop, that's just over there, I think," She pointed in the direction of the infamous chip shop that the students seemed to haunt every night, then seeming unsure of herself she placed her finger at the edge of her lips, seemingly pondering the location of the take-away restaurant, "Come on. I need to get back to the school. The girls have all mysteriously fallen asleep, well all but three."

"Amanda Honeydew and her band of followers?" Constance asked wearily. Edith nodded, "How did I guess? It's probably all the workings of Amanda, slipping the whole school a sleeping draught. I'd like to say she hadn't done it before but I would be lying. Well we shall get back to the school and amend the situation shall we?"

"There's another thing." Edith added, "They said it wasn't a potion."

Constance furrowed her eyebrows, "Not a potion? Well what else could it possibly be?"

"A spell... I think she said the Vodka Morrigan... Something like that. I don't know what that is. What is it?"

"The Voca Morriganus? It's a summoning spell. We need to get back to the school now!" Constance cried frantically. "You won't be able to teleport in your condition will you?" Edith shook her head, "Right," She took a deep, gulping breath, "As quick as we can. Come on."

Edith nodded quickly and, although she struggled, she managed to get to the top of the bank and keep her breath. Constance took long strides back to the castle, Edith had to practically jog to remain by Constance's side.

"What... is... this... thing?!" Edith gasped, trying to keep up with Constance.

"There's no time to explain. We need to get back to the school now. In fact," She turned sharply, making Edith jump out of her skin, "You stay out of the school entirely. We don't know what the curse could do to you and the baby if she was to catch you."

Constance walked away, Edith stood in the middle of the forest staring at her as she walked away.

"I don't care what you say, Constance Hardbroom. I'm coming with you."

Raising an eyebrow at the use of her full name, Constance turned back, "This beast is dangerous. If you get caught by her you could lose the baby."

"Well I'll just have to make sure I don't get caught then." Edith said brightly, "You aren't facing this on your own. You need to have someone by your side. You've been alone for too long."

"How do you-"

"When I was at my old job I was trained to pick up on these things and you scream inferiority complex to me. You think you're worthless, probably because of a bad parental relationship, so you put on this facade of being tough to compensate for that."

Edith had read Constance like a book. She lingered for a moment, her mouth hanging ever so slightly open. Blinking, Constance turned around and headed back to the school, Edith on her tail.

"So what kind of monster does this spell summon?" She asked, still struggling to keep up.

"A rather dangerous one – The Morrigan, you may have heard of her. To mortals she's but a character from Irish myths, to witches however she's a threat. If she sings to a witch she is capable of putting her into an everlasting slumber. The worst part of it, however, is that she is able to shape shift."

Edith looked confused, "Shape shift?"

Constance nodded as they passed through Walker's Gate, "Into a crow. So be careful and watch out for crows in the building. It could be possible that after she left Amanda and her friends that she shifted and sang to the girls in her bird form."

"Crows can't sing."

Just as they reached the heavy wooden front door, Constance turned, "All birds sing, Edith, sometimes however their song isn't always what you expect to hear."

The school was peculiarly quiet when Constance stepped inside. Of course. All of the girls had been put under a sleeping curse, she reminded herself. There were no arguments going on in the corridor, no shrieking laughter. It was quite peaceful actually.

Suddenly, however, from the top of the stairs there was a noise that broke the silence.

"Constance!" It was Amelia. She raced down the stairs and wrapped her arms tightly around Constance. She had not been expecting such a warm welcome after their fall out, "I'm sure Edith has told you what has happened," she said in a hushed voice, "The Morrigan has caught the girls but all of the staff are okay. Patricia was right, you were in the village. I must say I'm relieved Edith convinced you to come back. You're the only person I trust to be powerful enough to defeat this creature." She sighed, her blue eyes pleading, "I am sorry for my outburst."

Constance rolled up her sleeves ever so slightly, "Where was the last place that she was seen?"

Amelia pointed towards the stairs going down to the kitchens, "Please," Amelia grabbed Constance's arm, "Be careful."

With a soft smile, Constance whispered, "Don't worry." And lowering her head and her voice, she added, "And I apologise for being so pushy."

Amelia smiled almost imperceptibly as she stroked Constance's arm, "Please just be careful, both of you."

Edith beamed, "We will be fine. Now, to the kitchens?"

She and Constance tread carefully down the stairs towards the kitchens, being careful not to make too much noise and alert The Morrigan to their presence.

Edith pressed a finger to her lips just as they reached the bottom step and the closed wooden door. Constance, knowing that complete silence would be necessary should they come face to face with the beast, directed her casting fingers at the door which glowed bright blue. Knowing that the silencing charm was working, Constance gently pushed the door open. The hinges didn't creak, the bottom of the door did not scrape across the flagstone floor as the two witches stepped into the kitchen.

Their eyes slowly grew accustomed to the lack of light. The flickering flames crackled and squeaked in the hearth as Constance and Edith stepped into the kitchen and they noticed a cloaked figure standing in front of the table, its face shrouded by its black hood.


	13. The Voca Morriganus

"Stay where you are!" Bellowed Constance, preparing her casting fingers to attack.

The cloaked figure turned slowly, lowering its hood as it did so. Blonde pigtails and bright pink scrunchies came into view and as the cloak dropped to the floor, Edith ran forwards and embraced the revealed individual.

"Thank goodness you're alright, Amanda." She whispered. Then she turned to Constance, "Calm down. There's no need to attack her now."

Constance shook off the magic from her fingertips and walked slowly towards Amanda who appeared to be crying, steadying herself on the kitchen table.

"Where are the others?" Edith asked calmly, "Where are Lucia and Jasmine?"

Amanda whimpered nervously.

"Amanda Honeydew-"

"I don't know, Miss Hardbroom!" Amanda said in a strained voice, tears stinging the corners of her eyes as she spoke, "They vanished after we came down here."

Constance pursed her lips, looking at Edith who sighed, turning back to Amanda, "Listen. We need to find your friends but more importantly we need to find this creature before it does any more damage."

There was a cawing noise from the stairwell that made even Constance jump in fear. Amanda squeaked, clawing her way out of Edith's grasp and under the kitchen table, fitting snugly beneath it. Constance turned to Edith as the pair heard footsteps coming down the cold, stone stairs.

"Who's there?" Edith asked softly.

There was no reply. Only more footsteps, the sound of clicking heels on stone that sent chills up their spines.

Constance could feel her heart beating. Her pulse was racing. Beads of sweat trickled down her forehead as she moved closer and closer to the doorway. She placed a hand on the open archway just as another cloaked figure entered the kitchen. Edith grabbed them and Constance pointed her casting fingers at them as their hood was pulled down.

"For goodness sake!" Constance grumbled, "Remove that ridiculous cloak, you two."

Lucia and Jasmine were both wearing a black cloak and had both imitated the cawing of a crow to frighten Amanda. The pair revealed themselves, cackling wildly as they did so, pointing at their friend who was still hiding beneath the table.

"It's not funny!" She yelped from under the table, "I was really scared!"

Jasmine snorted, "Come on, Amanda! It's not like she's going to get us. We summoned her here!"

Constance sighed deeply as she looked at the three third year students; Amanda hunched under the table, Jasmine and Lucia still in fits of giggles as they looked at their frightened friend.

They were all brought back to their senses when they heard a noise that made the hairs on their arms stand on end – the screeching of a crow, and this time they knew it was the real thing.

Everyone in the room covered their ears as the air was filled with the flapping of wings. The crow descended into the kitchens and landed gently on the table, just above Amanda whose face was a ghastly white. Her lips were trembling, her eyes were wide and glistening with tears. She managed to stay quiet. The Morrigan, with a waft of its wings, transformed into a skeletally thin, straggly haired woman with a gaunt face and thin lips.

She remained silent as her yellow eyes observed her audience, her feline pupils narrowing as she gave herself a little smirk.

Constance's heart was in her mouth. If she couldn't do something now everyone in this school was done for. Her mind was racing – what spell could she use to temporarily incarcerate The Morrigan? She wasn't aware of any spell that would possibly work...

With a sideways glance to Edith, who was just as pale as Amanda now, Constance knew she had no choice. She needed to act quickly before it really was too late, before she was put to sleep by this beast.

The Morrigan rose from the table, her tattered black gown gathering around her ankles as she stalked her prey, her eyes twinkling wickedly in the candlelight. Finally she spoke, and her voice was weak, strangled like the song of the crow, "This is ever so satisfying," she said very softly, "Over sixty people that I've captured today and not one of them expected it. All thanks to our little friend under the table, there," she cast a bony hand in Amanda's direction whose face was now red and blotchy, tears streaming down her cheeks, "I think I'll get you first."

She turned to face the table. Raising her skeletal hand she murmured something under her breath and the table vanished, revealing the terrified Amanda curled up in a ball in the centre of the kitchen.

Constance knew she had to act quickly. There was no room for mistakes, no room for hesitation. She gulped, trying to stop herself from being sick with nerves as she raised her casting fingers once again.

"Step away from that child at once," She boomed.

The Morrigan stopped in her tracks, turning on the spot to face Constance.

"Step away from her. Now." Constance ordered. She knew she had nothing to lose if she was hurt, not really. There was nothing in her life that was of any importance. She had lost her promotion, she had lost everything. She needed to protect her students, Amelia, Davina, Patricia and Edith and her unborn baby. They were her priority.

With a maniacal cackle, The Morrigan stepped towards Constance, "Tell me, Constance Hardbroom," Constance's stomach lurched at the mention of her own name, "What are you going to do to stop me from killing your students? I don't believe that _you_ know a spell to stop me."

"No..." Edith said in a low, pain-filled voice, "But I do." She turned to Constance, "Incantatus Carcaratus. Use it!"

Constance nodded and chanted the spell. Green sparks left the tips of her fingers but the Morrigan stayed perfectly in place... In fact she appeared to be unmoving.

"A freezing spell," Edith explained, "Don't ask, I learned it at uni."

Constance didn't feel like she could speak. Her tongue had swollen, her mouth was dry. Her heart was racing like she had just ran a marathon, her head was spinning. She could barely focus on the figure frozen in front of her. She managed to utter a command to Amanda, "Get the book you summoned this creature from, girl."

Amanda scrambled to her feet, brushing passed Constance as she walked up the stone staircase to the classroom. The hallway was still filled with the green mist that summoned The Morrigan but it was now slowly filtering out of the school. She gathered the leather-bound book in her arms and carefully went back downstairs to her teachers and her friends.

Lucia and Jasmine were both huddled in the corner, sounding scared out of their wits as they babbled. Edith was sitting down, rubbing her stomach. Constance was still stood nose to nose with the frozen beast. Amanda handed Constance the book.

"Thank you, Amanda." Constance said softly. She flicked through the book, trying to find the spell that summoned the creature to the school, "Who gave you this book?"

"My Dad." Answered Amanda, looking sheepishly down at her shoes.

"Tell your Father that this book has been confiscated and will never be returned to you. It is far too dangerous to be in the hands of teenage girls," She said imperiously as she finally found the page that The Morrigan had been summoned from.

"Constance," Edith whispered, "Look."

She was pointing at The Morrigan's hands which were beginning to move. The spell was lifting. It wasn't strong enough to hold her for much longer. A painful cracking noise filled the air as her eyelids began to unfreeze, though her feet were still planted to the floor it wouldn't be for much longer. As soon as she was free of her bonds she would be unstoppable, filled with a rage that could destroy every last living thing in Castle Overblow.

Constance knew she needed to find the reversal spell though the page was filled with unintelligible diagrams and formulae. She took a shuddering breath as she scanned the page.

The Morrigan took a shuddering breath, raising her thin arm to grasp at Constance's throat but it was too late. Constance lifted her gaze, pursing her lips as she chanted the spell.

With a shriek of pain, the creature grasped its face. A blood curdling scream filled the air as The Morrigan swayed on the spot, pulling her hands away to reveal that there was no longer skin on her face, but molten ash flickering with embers. She cried in pain as she fell into the table, begging for mercy but it was too late. With a thud, she landed on the floor, a cloud of dust billowing from beneath her tattered black cloak.

For a moment all was still in the kitchen. No one breathed, no one blinked. All eyes were fixed on that very spot that The Morrigan had been only a heartbeat before.

Then the students erupted with cheers of joy. They ran up to the library, hoping to awake their friends as Constance and Edith lingered behind. Constance knelt down in front of Edith.

"Are you alright?" She asked, looking into the tear-filled hazel eyes.

Edith nodded, getting to her feet. She followed Constance upstairs and to release the students from the endless slumber.

Amelia descended the staircase in the entrance hall. She was pale but she could see that Constance and Edith were almost petrified with fear.

"What happened? Is it gone?" She asked, finally reaching the bottom step, "Good heavens! Look at both of you! The moment you have awoken the students you will both sit and have a biscuit in my office and tell me all about the incident."

The pair of them nodded, Constance still grasping tight hold of the still-open book as she walked to the library. She could see as she entered the room that all of the students were fast asleep. She glanced down at the page and found another spell, the reversal spell for The Morrigan's song.

Turning to Edith, Constance said gently, "This spell needs to be cast by two people together. Will you help me?"

Edith nodded as the pair chanted the spell together. Nothing seemed to happen at first though after a moment or two there was the sound of yawning, bones clicking as students stretched in their seats, unaware of what had just happened. As far as they were aware they had just fallen asleep during a study period, not uncommon at Cackle's Academy.

Amanda and her friends stood at the other end of the library. Amanda gave Constance a slight smile and mouthed the words "thank you" to her. Constance inclined her head. When she was sure all of the students had been awoken she went to find Amelia who, as promised, was waiting in her office with tea and biscuits.

"So what exactly happened with The Morrigan? She put the students to sleep, but how did you defeat her?"

"Edith gave me a-" Constance started but Edith forestalled her.

"It was all Constance," Edith said warmly, "Constance cast a spell to freeze her so Amanda could go and find this book," She gestured towards the book in Constance's hands, "So Constance could destroy her once and for all. It was terrifying but I'm really proud of her."

Amelia's eyes were wide, "No wonder you're proud! Constance, my dear, I am so sorry for speaking out of turn before. You are a powerful, courageous witch and you used your initiative. Not only did you protect the students and the teachers, you showed them what magic is all about – protecting others."

Constance didn't know where Amelia was going with this but Edith seemed rather pleased with herself. Amelia was blushing.

"So on that note I do believe that we have some paperwork to fill out. Incident forms are compulsory these days. Edith," Amelia said, "Could you write letters home to the parents of our pupils so that they know what's happened. I can't expect Constance to do that now, not after she's just saved the day. She'll have so many new responsibilities now that she's deputy headmistress."

Constance's heart skipped in her chest.

"If you'll accept my offer following what happened earlier." Amelia added.

Constance bit her lip. There was no hesitation as she took Amelia's offer, shaking her hand as she became the new deputy headmistress of Cackle's Academy.


	14. Welcome to Cackle's

_Dear Miss Skylark,_

 _It is with a heavy heart that I write to inform you that we can no longer proceed with your application for the deputy head position at Cackle's Academy for Witches. A more suitable candidate has been found._

 _If you wish to apply in the future for another role at our school, please feel free to contact me at the above address._

 _Wishing you all the best for the future,_

 _Miss Amelia Cackle._

 _Headmistress._

* * *

Amelia sealed the envelope and placed it into the overflowing tray at the edge of her desk just as the office door swung open.

"What're ye doin'?"

With a little smile at the envelope she had just sealed, Amelia stated, "Just putting things in place for the new deputy head."

Patricia's eyes widened as she took a seat in front of Amelia's desk. She ran a hand through her spiked hair, "So ye've decided on someone then?" She picked the envelope out of the tray, "Skylark... Isn't that the lass who had the lipstick on her teeth?"

Amelia nodded meekly.

"So she's the new deputy?" Patricia asked, sounding slightly disappointed, "I know you and Constance had a fallin' out, and I know I had a right go at her but she deserves that job more than anybody else, definitely more than this lass. She's worked bloody hard for it and-"

"Constance and I have made up, Patricia, and as for Miss Skylark... Well you will have to wait and see in this morning's assembly won't you?" The headmistress gave a mischievous smirk, her blue eyes twinkling in the morning sunlight as she walked as quick as she could to the staff room.

To her surprise it was empty, apart from Davina who was busying herself tying onions to her feet to ward off a cold that had been going around the castle lately. Amelia's smile change into a look of indifference as she sat down and poured herself a cup of tea, her eyes stinging at the scent of the raw onions.

X

Constance was still in bed. Given the day she had had yesterday it was no surprise that she wanted a little lie in. Amelia had told her to get some rest and she was taking full advantage of it. It was not her nature to be lazy but she felt emotionally and physically drained following the day before.. Her body was so used to being stressed yet it couldn't handle it, not like it used to.

She rolled over with a sigh, putting a hand over Morgana's back as she slept, snoring loudly, beside her. Constance let out a soft chuckle at Morgana's snoring and one of her olive green eyes opened ever so slightly, shooting her a look that, had the black cat had the ability to speak, she would have said, "You can talk."

There was a soft tap at the bedroom door which creaked open slightly.

"Oh you're still in bed. How are you?"

It was Edith, looking a bit more formal today as she wore a black dress and a pair of black slingbacks. Her bump was more obvious in the tight fitting dress. Apparently her usually baggy attire disguised her now quite sizeable bump.

Constance sat up in bed, disturbing Morgana again who grumbled in her sleep. The soft patter of feet filled the air as Gaia, Edith's cat, miaowed around her mistress' ankles.

"I'm fine. Don't worry about me. Amelia told me to take the morning off, or at least until assembly. How are you. How is...?" She gestured towards the bump.

"Oh. I'm fine, the baby is fine. It kept me up all night so I'm feeling weary. You know, bouncing on bladders and such like. You'd think it was a trampoline the way it was kicking it!"

The corners of Constance's lips twitched slightly into a smile as she climbed out of bed.

"Oh no! If you're having a lie in don't let me disturb you. You deserve it... Boss!" Edith laughed to herself, winking at Constance.

"I might as well get up. I'm awake now. There'll be plenty of work to do downstairs."

Honestly she was feeling a bit annoyed that she was fully awake now but when she was finally out of bed and making her way down to the great hall she began to feel energised. She was excited, excited that her future was finally in sight and that very soon she would be the new deputy headmistress. This school had gone too long without an official deputy and it was about time that there was a new second-in-command.

The sound of scraping plates and chatter stopped abruptly as she stepped into the great hall. Every eye seemed to look up at her, the bewildered students were watching her as she made her way to the dais at the front of the hall, waiting for the morning assembly to start.

The girls seemed to be unable to remove their eyes from her as they ate, watching her as she remained perfectly still. After what Amanda Honeydew had told them, they all now believed that she was their saviour. The harsh, domineering Miss Hardbroom saved them. The woman who seemed to hate them, who seemed to take any opportunity to make their lives a misery rescued them from the clutches of The Morrigan.

The bell rang. Most of the girls hadn't eaten their breakfasts. The girls excused themselves from their tables and when the bell rang again, the hall was returned to its usual appearance; benches placed in rows facing towards the podium where the teachers would soon be standing.

The other staff members arrived soon after the second bell. Patricia, who was wearing one of her favourite outfits (a bright blue off-the-shoulder top with a pair of dark grey jeans) sat next to Constance and tapped her hand. Her skin was cooler than usual.

"Listen," Patricia started, "I'm very sorry for the way I spoke to ye the other day. I was out of order and I never intended to upset ye if I did."

Constance nodded, "Thank you, Patricia. I do appreciate that."

The two gazed at each other for a moment, their lips curling at the corners ever so slightly. Constance looked into Patricia's bright blue eyes, decorated with thick black eyeliner once again, as Patricia looked into Constance deep brown eyes.

The moment was broken by Amelia who stood up, clearing her throat.

"As you are all aware of what happened yesterday, thank you Amanda Honeydew," there was a ringing of laughter among the girls as Amanda shrank in her seat, "I don't need to remind you of who saved the day. Miss Hardbroom risked her own safety to protect you girls and if it wasn't for her you would all still be sleeping in the library. Some of you probably don't see that as a bad thing but it's no good if you want to earn your Witches Higher Certificate.

"As some of you girls may already know I have been looking for a suitable deputy headmistress. Until recently I had my heart set on one individual but to follow standard procedure I had to interview others. I didn't want to look like I was favouring someone I knew was perfect for the job. Circumstances seemed to change and I believed that the perfect individual was no longer suitable... Until yesterday afternoon that is." Amelia turned to look at Constance, "We have already agreed that you, Miss Hardbroom, will be the deputy headmistress starting immediately. Do you have anything to say to the students?"

Constance took a deep breath and stood up, her knees trembling slightly, "Perhaps I should start off my role as deputy headmistress by saying that I wasn't on my own down in the cellar when The Morrigan attacked the school. There were four others down there; three students and of course Miss Greene. Without her help we would all probably be under a sleeping curse, not just the girls who were sleeping in the library. So for that, thank you." She turned, giving Edith a little smile as she continued, "Now all of you girls, I want you all to be on your best behaviour from now until the end of term. No funny business and no summoning murderous beasts, Amanda Honeydew!" She glared at the blonde haired student who blushed so brightly her face was like a crimson beacon.

"Yes, Miss Hardbroom," Amanda whispered in a sing song voice.

X

 **Four Months Later**

It was just before the beginning of the Winter Term at Cackle's Academy. The teachers had already arrived, awaiting the arrival of the students. The castle was tropically hot, the roasting sun beaming through the windows as the women in the staff room fanned themselves. They had stripped down to as little as they could get away with. Even Constance, who was known for dressing modestly, was wearing a short sleeved black dress and had removed her stockings.

"I thought I'd seen the end of these hot flashes after I went on that HRT," Patricia sighed, wiping the beads of sweat from her forehead, "Is she gonna be any longer?"

Amelia, who was standing by the open door shook her head, "The door has just opened..." Amelia muttered, bobbing up and down, "It's her! She's coming now." She scrambled to her seat so as not to seem too keen, "Is it too hot in here?"

The other women around the table nodded just as there was a tap at the open staff room door.

"Edith!" Amelia cried, feigning surprise as she saw the youngest staff member standing in the doorway, a bundle of blankets grasped tightly in her arms.

"I thought I'd pop by and wish you all good luck. I'll be on maternity leave now so I won't see you all for a while. I'm staying with my Mum down in Devon, she's back from the Himalayas," she stepped into the staff room and sat down next to Constance, "But I'll pop back now and again with Alice. I imagine the students would love to see her."

Constance looked down into the bundle of blankets at the red haired baby whose eyes were firmly shut, her fingers twitching in her sleep. She had her mother's button nose.

"What a lovely name," Davina stated, "Alice. Welcome to the world, Alice Greene."

Edith passed Amelia the baby and the headmistress looked at her as her hazel eyes opened, blinking up at her. She gurgled, a spit bubble forming at the corner of her lips.

"What made you give Alice your own surname?" Amelia asked in a hushed voice, dabbing the saliva from the corner of Alice's mouth. She was thinking about her own daughter, the baby she had lost when she had been with her late husband. Her name had been Alice and as she peered into the pale face wrapped tightly in blankets, Amelia felt a tingle in her tummy, wondering if this is what her daughter would have been like.

Edith sighed, "Alice Mills doesn't sound right to either me or Jay so we went for Alice Greene instead. My mother would have loved her, so that's why I named her after her," Edith added, seeming almost wistful for a moment, remembering her beloved birth mother who had passed away when she had been only a child.

Alice blinked at Amelia, her arms raising up in tiny fists, trying to grab hold of her. Amelia laughed, tapping the tiny nose. Alice gurgled again, opening her mouth as Amelia cooed at her.

"Constance," Edith began, swivelling in her seat, "I was wondering if you would do me the honour of being Alice's Godmother."

Constance's eyes widened, "Me? Be Godmother?! Edith, I am flattered but I'm hardly capable of-"

"I can't think of anyone more capable of being a Godmother to my daughter than you. You risked your life to protect this school. You may be tough on the girls but I know that you're a strong, courageous lady. Should anything happen to me and Jay I want Alice to be looked after by somebody I trust and someone who is strong enough to protect her. That person is you."

Constance's face was impassive as she looked into Edith's eyes. She didn't know what to say. To be given the honour of being a Godmother to the child of one of her dearest friends... Of course she would say yes. She wanted to help in whatever way she could with Alice. If that meant being a Godmother then that meant being a Godmother.

She took Edith's hand in her own, "Of course I will be Godmother."

Edith gave Constance a teary smile, "I'm sorry," She whispered, dabbing her eyes with her fingertips, "Since I gave birth I've been crying so much. Apparently it's all of the hormones coming out of my system," she gave a shuddering breath and gave Constance a teary smile, "Thank you, Constance."

Amelia passed Constance her god-daughter and she looked into the hazel eyes that glowed green in the sunlight, just like her mother's. Alice stretched out a little hand towards Constance, grasping her little finger and holding it tightly in her plump fist. She seemed to smile up at Constance for a moment and then with a huge yawn, her eyes grew tired again. She gurgled, falling back to sleep as Constance gently rocked her.

"I think she likes you," Edith said softly.

Constance looked up as she cradled the baby in her arms that was still holding tightly onto her finger. Alice's eyelids twitched and she began to snore softly as she drifted off into a gentle slumber.

"I think so too."

* * *

 _ **A/N: So that's it! I hope you have enjoyed the A Time series so far. Will I return to it? Who knows! But I'm glad you have kept reading and left reviews. Thank you.**_


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